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Chapter 10: Problem 53

What happens to an atom's oxidation state when the atom is oxidized?

Short Answer

Expert verified
When an atom is oxidized, it loses electrons, leading to an increase in its oxidation state (becoming more positive).

Step by step solution

01

Understand Oxidation

Oxidation is a chemical reaction in which an atom or ion loses electrons. This process is called a loss of electron(s) or electron transfer. In other words, when an atom gets oxidized, it loses one or more electrons to another atom, reducing its electron count and thus changing its oxidation state.
02

Recognize the relation between Oxidation and Oxidation States

Oxidation state is a number assigned to each atom in a molecule or ion, that represents the "charge" it would have if all its bonds were ionic. It tells us how many electrons an atom has "gained" or "lost" in a specific reaction. When an atom gets oxidized, its oxidation state increases (becomes more positive), as electrons are negatively charged particles.
03

Describe changes in the atom's oxidation state when oxidized

When an atom is oxidized, it loses electrons, and its oxidation state increases. This can be expressed as: \[ \text{Atom}_\text{oxidation state} \Longrightarrow \text{Atom}_\text{higher oxidation state} + e^- \] Here, "e^-" represents the lost electron(s), and the higher oxidation state of the atom indicates an increase in positive charge. To summarize, when an atom is oxidized, we observe: 1. Loss of one or more electrons. 2. Increase in the atom's oxidation state, i.e. it becomes more positive.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

What is an electron-transfer reaction?

A piece of magnesium can be attached to the iron hull of a boat to prevent it from rusting. (a) Why is the magnesium called a sacrificial metal? (b) How does the Mg keep the iron hull from rusting? (c) Which can be thought of as the positive cathode, the \(\mathrm{Mg}\) or the steel hull? Explain. (d) Putting a block of \(\mathrm{Mg}\) on a steel boat hull does not create a battery. Why not?

In a nickel-cadmium battery, the relevant redox reaction is: \(2 \mathrm{NiO}(\mathrm{OH})+\mathrm{Cd}+2 \mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O} \rightarrow\) \(2 \mathrm{Ni}(\mathrm{OH})_{2}+\mathrm{Cd}(\mathrm{OH})_{2}\) Does this agree with the EMF series? What are the oxidation states of nickel before and after the reaction?

Assign an oxidation state for each nitrogen atom in \(\mathrm{N}_{3}^{-} .\) (Hint: Begin with a dot diagram for the ion.)

Which method of assigning shared electrons is correct-the double-counting method of the octet rule or the oxidation-state method?
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