Multiple Choice
What is the oxidation state of an individual sulfur atom in BaSO_4?
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6. Chemical Quantities & Aqueous Reactions
Calculate Oxidation Numbers
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What is the oxidation number of magnesium in the compound MgCl_2?
A
+2
B
+1
C
-2
D
0
Verified step by step guidance1
Recall that the oxidation number (oxidation state) represents the charge an atom would have if the compound was purely ionic.
Identify the common oxidation states of the elements involved: chlorine (Cl) typically has an oxidation number of -1 in compounds.
Set the oxidation number of magnesium (Mg) as an unknown variable, say x, and write an equation based on the fact that the sum of oxidation numbers in a neutral compound is zero.
Write the equation: \(x + 2(-1) = 0\), where x is the oxidation number of Mg and -1 is the oxidation number of each Cl atom.
Solve the equation for x to find the oxidation number of magnesium in MgCl\(_2\).
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