what are the oxidation numbers for each element in the compound NaClO4?
Using the rules:
O is -2
Na is +1
since the sum is zero,
Cl is +7
To find the oxidation numbers for each element in the compound NaClO4 (sodium perchlorate), follow these steps:
Step 1: Identify the known oxidation numbers of certain elements.
- The oxidation number of sodium (Na) is usually +1 in most compounds.
- The oxidation number of oxygen (O) is typically -2, except in peroxide compounds where it is -1.
- The sum of the oxidation numbers in a compound must be zero.
Step 2: Determine the oxidation number of chlorine (Cl) in NaClO4.
- Since the compound doesn't contain a peroxide, the oxidation number of oxygen is -2.
- The sum of the oxidation numbers in NaClO4 must be zero, so we can calculate the oxidation number for chlorine.
Assuming the oxidation number of chlorine as x:
(+1) + x + 4(-2) = 0
+1 + x - 8 = 0
x - 7 = 0
x = +7
Therefore, the oxidation number for chlorine (Cl) in NaClO4 is +7.
To summarize:
- Sodium (Na) has an oxidation number of +1.
- Chlorine (Cl) has an oxidation number of +7.
- Oxygen (O) has an oxidation number of -2.
Thus, the oxidation numbers for each element in NaClO4 are +1, +7, and -2 for sodium, chlorine, and oxygen, respectively.
To determine the oxidation numbers for each element in a compound, you need to analyze the compound's structure and apply some rules.
In the compound NaClO4, the oxidation numbers can be determined as follows:
1. Sodium (Na): Sodium is an alkali metal, and its oxidation number is usually +1 in most compounds. So, Na has an oxidation number of +1.
2. Chlorine (Cl): The oxidation number of chlorine is typically -1 in compounds, except when it combines with a more electronegative element, such as oxygen or fluorine. In NaClO4, since there is only one chlorine atom, its oxidation number is -1.
3. Oxygen (O): The oxidation number of oxygen is usually -2 in compounds, except in certain peroxides and superoxides. In NaClO4, there are four oxygen atoms, so they contribute a total oxidation number of -8 (-2 × 4).
To calculate the oxidation number for the remaining element (in this case, Chlorine), use the fact that the sum of the oxidation numbers in a compound must be equal to zero. Since the sum of the oxidation numbers for Na, Cl (only one atom), and O is zero, we can calculate the oxidation number of Chlorine:
x (oxidation number of Cl) + (+1) + (-8) = 0
x - 7 = 0
x = +7
Therefore, the oxidation number of Chlorine (Cl) in NaClO4 is +7.