Sodium tripolyphosphate is used in detergents to make them effective in hard water.Calculate the oxidation number of phosphorus in Na₅P₃O₁₀.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The oxidation number of oxygen is -2, and the oxidation number of sodium is +1. There are four oxygen atoms with a total charge of -8 and one sodium atom with a charge of +1, giving a net charge of -7. The total charge must be balanced by the sum of the oxidation numbers of the other elements, so the sum of the oxidation numbers of sulfur and phosphorus must be +7. Since there are two sulfur atoms with an oxidation number of -2 each, the oxidation number of phosphorus must be +5.

Sodium Tripolyphosphate Is Used in Detergents to Make Them Effective