Oxidation

[Phi Phi Do 2E]

What is the concept behind the oxidation number?

[Nickolas Manipud 1C]

The oxidation number is the charge of an atom or molecule.

If it loses, for example, three electrons, the oxidation number becomes 3+. If it gains 3 electrons, the oxidation number becomes 3-.

[Sarah Wax 1G]

I agree with the above responder. Basically, an oxidation number is the charge of an element within a certain compound. For example, in H2O, Hydrogen's oxidation number is +1 and Oxygen's is -2.

[Miguel Velasco 2J]

Exactly, charges within a compound have oxidation numbers that contribute to the overall state of the compound.

[604807557]

Yeah^^simply put, the oxidation number shows you the charge

[William Xu Dis 1D]

Oxidation number is called "oxidation number" because it describes the degree of oxidation (the loss of electrons) of an atom IN a chemical compound. It describes it through the hypothetical (because it assumes all other atoms in the compound are fully ionic) charge the atom would have in the compound.