Question
What is the oxidation number of S in
? You must include the + or -
charge with the number.
charge with the number.
Ask by Vargas Olson. in the United States
Jan 27,2025
Upstudy AI Solution
Tutor-Verified Answer
Answer
The oxidation number of sulfur (S) in
is +4.
Solution
In the compound
(sodium sulfite), you can determine the oxidation number of sulfur (S) by following these steps:
-
Assign known oxidation states:
- Sodium (Na) typically has an oxidation state of +1.
- Oxygen (O) typically has an oxidation state of -2.
-
Set up the equation:
- The compound is neutral, so the sum of all oxidation states should be 0.
- Let the oxidation state of sulfur (S) be x.
-
Solve for x:
Therefore, the oxidation number of sulfur in
is
.
Answer: The oxidation number of S in Na₂SO₃ is +4.
Answered by UpStudy AI and reviewed by a Professional Tutor
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Bonus Knowledge
To find the oxidation number of sulfur (S) in
, we can use the rules of oxidation states. Sodium (Na) has an oxidation state of +1. Since there are two sodium atoms, their contribution is +2. The overall charge of the compound is neutral, so we have:
The oxidation state of oxygen (O) is -2. There are three oxygen atoms, giving us a total of -6 from oxygen. Now we can plug in this information:
Solving for x (the oxidation state of sulfur):
Thus, the oxidation number of sulfur in
is +4.