Which statement best describes the oxidation numbers of the atoms found in magnesium chloride?

A. Magnesium has a 22 oxidation number and chlorine has 1+ oxidation number.
B. Magnesium has 1+ oxidation number and chlorine has a 12 oxidation number.
C. Magnesium has 22 oxidation number and chlorine has a 2+ oxidation number.
D. Magnesium has a 2+ oxidation number and chlorine has a 12 oxidation number.

None.

Mg is a +2
Cl is a -1

MgCl2

HUH?
Mg is +2 and Cl is -1

Which of the following is not a way an atom can achieve stability?

To determine the oxidation numbers in magnesium chloride, we need to consider the valence electrons of each element.

In magnesium chloride (MgCl2), magnesium (Mg) is a Group 2 element, which means it has 2 valence electrons. Chlorine (Cl) is a Group 17 element, so it has 7 valence electrons.

To determine the oxidation number of magnesium, we assign the electrons in the compound to the more electronegative element first. In this case, chlorine is more electronegative than magnesium. Chlorine needs one more electron to complete its octet, so it gains one electron and its oxidation number becomes -1. Since there are two chlorine atoms in magnesium chloride, the overall charge contributed by chlorine is -2.

The total charge of magnesium chloride is neutral, so the charge contributed by magnesium must counterbalance the charge contributed by chlorine. Therefore, we can conclude that the oxidation number of magnesium in magnesium chloride is +2, as it loses its two valence electrons to achieve a stable octet.

From the above explanation, we can see that statement D. "Magnesium has a 2+ oxidation number and chlorine has a 12 oxidation number" is the correct answer.