What is the oxidation state of an element?
the total number of protons an atom can gain or lose during a chemical reaction
the total number of electrons an atom loses or gains during a chemical reaction
the number of elements oxygen can bond with to form a compound
the process an atom undergoes when it gains or loses electrons to form a bond
the total number of electrons an atom loses or gains during a chemical reaction?
I would not have chosen that one. I think what you've names is the process of oxidation/reduction. That is the loss or gain of electrons. I would go with b. For example,
Cl2 +2e ==> 2Cl^- is a half reaction for Cl2. The oxidation state of Cl in Cl2 is zero. IN Cl^- each Cl is -1 oxidation state. Maybe I've been doing it wrong all these years.
Actually I don't like any of the definitions but I think b comes the closest. Here is what I found on Wikipedia.
The oxidation state of an element refers to the total number of electrons that an atom gains or loses during a chemical reaction. It is a measure of the atom's electron transfer in a compound or ion.
To determine the oxidation state of an element in a compound, there are a few guidelines that can be followed:
1. For neutral elements, the oxidation state is zero since they have an equal number of electrons and protons.
2. In most cases, hydrogen (H) has an oxidation state of +1 when bonded to a nonmetal and -1 when bonded to a metal.
3. For oxygen (O), it typically has an oxidation state of -2 in most compounds. However, there are exceptions, such as in peroxides (e.g., H2O2) where oxygen has an oxidation state of -1.
4. Group 1 elements (alkali metals) have a +1 oxidation state, while group 2 elements (alkaline earth metals) have a +2 oxidation state.
5. The sum of all oxidation states in a neutral compound should be zero, and in an ion, the sum should equal the charge of the ion. For example, in NaCl (sodium chloride), the oxidation state of sodium (Na) is +1, and for chlorine (Cl), it is -1, resulting in a net charge of zero.
It's important to note that determining oxidation states can get more complex in certain cases involving polyatomic ions, transition metals, or compounds with unusual bonding patterns. In these cases, the overall charge and known oxidation states of other atoms in the compound can help deduce the oxidation state of a specific element.
Overall, the oxidation state of an element is a representation of the electron transfer that occurs during the formation of a chemical bond.