What is the oxidation state of nitrogen in nitrogen dioxide?
A) 5
B) 4
C) 0
D) 1
E) -3

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In nitrogen dioxide (NO2), the oxidation state of oxygen is -2 (since oxygen almost always has an oxidation state of -2 in compounds) and the overall charge of NO2 is 0. Therefore, the oxidation state of nitrogen can be found by solving for x in the equation: 
-2 (for each oxygen) + x (for nitrogen) = 0 (overall charge) 
Simplifying the equation gives: 
x = +2 
Therefore, the oxidation state of nitrogen in nitrogen dioxide is +2, which corresponds to choice B.

What Is the Oxidation State of Nitrogen in Nitrogen Dioxide