oxidation state of nitrogen. no2-
To determine the oxidation state of nitrogen in the nitrite ion (NO2-), we need to assign oxidation numbers to each element within the molecule.
Here's the step-by-step process to find the oxidation state of nitrogen in NO2-:
1. Identify the known oxidation states of the other elements in the molecule. In this case, the oxygen atom (O) is typically assigned an oxidation state of -2 because it is more electronegative than nitrogen.
2. Use the overall charge on the molecule to determine the sum of the oxidation states. The nitrite ion (NO2-) has a charge of -1, indicating an excess of one negative charge on the molecule.
3. Since oxygen is assigned an oxidation state of -2, and there are two oxygen atoms, their total oxidation state contribution is -2 * 2 = -4.
4. Subtract the total oxidation state contribution of oxygen (-4) from the overall charge (-1). This gives us -1 - (-4) = +3.
5. As a result, the nitrogen atom (N) in NO2- has an oxidation state of +3.
Therefore, the oxidation state of nitrogen in the nitrite ion (NO2-) is +3.