Chlorine and Oxidation States

$FC=V-(L+\frac{S}{2})$

AlexNguyen15
Posts: 66
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 3:00 am

Chlorine and Oxidation States

Are there any specific rules than can be used to find the maximum and minimum oxidation states of chlorine? I'm not really understanding how exactly these values can be found.

Sina Rahmani 4A
Posts: 27
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 3:00 am

Re: Chlorine and Oxidation States

I just looked at the noble gas before and after Chlorine (Neon and Argon, respectively). Neon is 7 electrons less than Chlorine, so Chlorine's maximum oxidation state would be +7. It's +7 and not -7, because Chlorine would have to LOSE 7 electrons to equate the number of electrons that Neon has. Alternatively, Argon has 18 electrons, so Chlorine would have to gain 1 electron. Hence, Chlorine's minimum oxidation state is -1. Generally, a chloride ion is (Cl)^-1. So when in doubt about the oxidation states, you could at least guess one of them, because it's a common ion. (more common examples: Nitrogen -3, Oxygen -2)

Jacob Afable 3J
Posts: 41
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 3:00 am

Re: Chlorine and Oxidation States

So basically, to find two different oxidation states, do you have to either add or subtract electrons to go toward the closest noble gases?

Kayla Tran 1E
Posts: 13
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 3:00 am

Re: Chlorine and Oxidation States

Basically, yes. In more technical terms you are adding or subtracting electrons to go from one subshell to another which coincides with the noble gases. For example, Chlorine can have a +7 oxidation number because its electron configuration ends with 3s^2,3p^5 so if it lost those 7 electrons in the n=3 subshell it would have a completely filled n=2 subshell, or the same electron configuration as Neon.

404651793
Posts: 27
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 3:00 am

Re: Chlorine and Oxidation States

3.23 Chlorine can exist in both positive and negative oxidation states. What is the maximum (a) positive and (b) negative oxidation number that chlorine can have? (c) Write the electron configuration for each of these states. (d) Explain how you arrived at these values.

I'm not exactly sure how to find the element's oxidation states and what they do in the real world? What is the difference with the positive and the negative oxidation states and how would we be able to find them? I know it has something to do with electrons, but I don't understand how they relate to each other. Thank you for the help.

Ashley P 4I
Posts: 64
Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2017 3:04 am

Re: Chlorine and Oxidation States

So from my understanding you just need to go to the previous and next noble gas? I am still confused.