Which of the following compounds contains an atom with the highest oxidation number?

• A. CO2
• B. Fe2O3
• C. Na2SO4
• D. KMnO4

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the oxidation states of the key atoms in each compound to determine which atom has the highest oxidation number.
2. For CO2, assign oxygen an oxidation state of -2. Since there are two oxygens, carbon's oxidation state is calculated by solving: \(x + 2(-2) = 0\), where \(x\) is carbon's oxidation number.
3. For Fe2O3, assign oxygen an oxidation state of -2. Calculate iron's oxidation state by solving: \$2x + 3(-2) = 0\(, where \)x$ is iron's oxidation number.
4. For Na2SO4, assign sodium an oxidation state of +1 and oxygen -2. Calculate sulfur's oxidation state by solving: \$2(+1) + x + 4(-2) = 0\(, where \)x$ is sulfur's oxidation number.
5. For KMnO4, assign potassium an oxidation state of +1 and oxygen -2. Calculate manganese's oxidation state by solving: \(+1 + x + 4(-2) = 0\), where \(x\) is manganese's oxidation number. Compare all calculated oxidation numbers to find the highest.