Determine the oxidation state of sulfur in S₂O₇²^-.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To determine the oxidation state of sulfur, we can use the following rules:
- The oxidation state of an element in its elemental form is always 0 (e.g. S1)
- The sum of the oxidation states of all the atoms in a neutral molecule or compound is 0
- The sum of the oxidation states of all the atoms in a polyatomic ion is equal to the charge of the ion

Applying these rules, we can rewrite the given formula as:
S(-2)S(+6)O(-1)S(-2)S(0)P(+1)S(-1)P(0)S(-2)P(-1)

Using the third rule, we can set up the equation:
(-2) + (+6) + (-1) + (-2) + 0 + (+1) + (-1) + (-2) + (-1) = -1

Simplifying, we get:
-2 - 2 + 6 - 1 - 1 - 2 - 1 + 1 = -1
-11 = -1
+10 = 0

Therefore, the oxidation state of sulfur in the given formula is +6, which is option B.

Determine the Oxidation State of Sulfur in S2O72-

Determine the Oxidation State of Sulfur in S₂O₇²^-