What is the oxidation number of the chromium atom in K₂CrO₄?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To find the oxidation number of the chromium atom, we need to use the rule that the sum of oxidation numbers of all atoms in a molecule or ion must be equal to the overall charge of that molecule or ion. In this compound, the overall charge is 0, so we have:
K has a known oxidation number of +1
S has a known oxidation number of -2
O has a known oxidation number of -2
P has a known oxidation number of +5
Therefore, we can write the equation:
(+1) + (-2) + (-2) + (+5) + (-2) + Cr + (-2) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) + (-1) = 0
Simplifying, we get:
Cr + (-34) = 0
Cr = +34
Therefore, the oxidation number of the chromium atom in this compound is +6.

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What Is the Oxidation Number of the Chromium Atom in K₂CrO₄