what is the oxidation state of iron in K4[Fe(CN)6]?
K = +1*4 = +4
CN = -1*6 = -6
To make K4[Fe(CN)6] neutral, Fe must be ??
2
To find the oxidation state of iron (Fe) in K4[Fe(CN)6], we can use the following equation:
Charge of the overall compound = Sum of charges of all the atoms in the compound
The charge of the potassium ion (K+) is +1 and we have four of them, so their total charge is +4.
The charge of the cyanide ion (CN-) is -1 and we have six of them, so their total charge is -6.
Let X be the oxidation state of iron (Fe).
The charge of the entire compound K4[Fe(CN)6] is 0, so we can write:
+4 + X + (-6) = 0
Simplifying and solving for X, we get:
X = +2
Therefore, the oxidation state of iron (Fe) in K4[Fe(CN)6] is +2.
To determine the oxidation state of iron (Fe) in the compound K4[Fe(CN)6], we can break down the compound and analyze the charges of other elements involved.
Step 1: Identify the known oxidation states of other elements.
In this compound, potassium (K) is an alkali metal and is always assigned an oxidation state of +1.
Cyanide (CN) is a polyatomic ion and carries a charge of -1.
Step 2: Calculate the total charge of the known elements.
Since there are four potassium ions (K4), the total positive charge contributed by potassium is +4 (4 x +1 = +4).
Each cyanide ion carries a charge of -1. Since there are six cyanide ions in total, the total negative charge contributed by cyanide is -6 (6 x -1 = -6).
Step 3: Determine the oxidation state of iron (Fe) by considering the overall charge of the compound.
The compound K4[Fe(CN)6] has a neutral charge, which means the positive charges must balance out the negative charges. In this case, the positive charges are provided by potassium, totaling +4. The total negative charge contributed by cyanide is -6. Therefore, the iron must have an oxidation state that balances the charges.
To balance the charges, let's assume the oxidation state of iron is 'x.'
The equation becomes:
(+4) + (x) + (-6) = 0
When we solve for 'x,' we find:
x = +2
Therefore, the oxidation state of iron (Fe) in K4[Fe(CN)6] is +2.