Oxidation Numbers

Questions Answered by
Oxidation Numbers
Is the reaction If any atoms change their

redox? oxidation number, yes.
What’s oxidized? The element that increases its
oxidation number
What’s reduced? The element that decreases its
oxidation number
What’s the The substance with the element
reducing agent? oxidized
oxidizing agent? reduced
Steps for Determination of
Oxidation Numbers
• Step 1: Assign oxidation numbers to as

many atoms as you can using the
guidelines described on the next slide.
• Step 2: To determine oxidation numbers
for atoms not described on the next slide,
use the following guideline.
– The sum of the oxidation numbers for each
atom in the formula is equal to the overall
charge on the formula. (This includes
uncharged formulas where the sum of the
oxidation numbers is zero.)
Oxidation Numbers for Common Elements
Oxidation Examples Exceptions

number
Pure element 0 The oxidation number none
for each atom in
Zn, H2, and S8 is zero.
Monatomic ions charge Cd in CdCl2 is +2. none

on ion Cl in CdCl2 is ‒1.
Fluorine in the ‒1 F in AlF3 is ‒1. none
combined form F in CF4 is ‒1.
Oxygen in the ‒2 O in ZnO is ‒2. O is ‒1 in peroxides,
combined form O in H2O is ‒2. such as H2O2
Hydrogen in the +1 H in H2O is +1. H is ‒1 when combined
combined form H in HSO4‒ is +1. with a metal.
Examples
• Determine the oxidation number for each of

the atoms or ions in the following formulas.
• N2
0 (Uncharged element)
• N3–
–3 (monatomic ion)
• H2S
+1 for H (covalently bonded H)
–2 for S (solve 0 = 2(1) + x for x)
• LiH
+1 for Li, –1 for H (monatomic ions)
Examples

• K2HPO4
+1 for K (monatomic ion)
+1 for H (covalently bonded in polyatomic ion)
–2 for O (combined oxygen, not a peroxide)
+5 for P (solve the following equation for x)
0 = 2(1) + 1 + x + 4(–2)
0=3+x–8
0=x–5
+5 = x
Examples

• HCr2O7–
+1 for H (covalently bonded in a polyatomic ion)
+6 for Cr (solve the following equation for x)
–1 = 1 + 2x + 7(–2)
–1 = 1 + 2x – 14
–1 = 2x – 13
12 = 2x
6=x
Examples

• NH4+
–3 for N (solve the following equation for x)
+1 = x + 4(+1)
+1 = x + 4
–3 = x
Examples

• H2PO2–
–2 for O (combined oxygen)
+1 for P (solve the following equation for x)
–1 = 2(1) + x + 2(–2)
–1 = 2 + x – 4
–1 = x – 2
+1 = x
Examples

• Cu2SO4
+1 for Cu (monatomic ion)
+6 for S (solve the following equation for x)
0 = 2(1) + x + 4(–2)
0=2+x–8
0=x–6
+6 = x
Questions Answered by
Oxidation Numbers
Is the reaction If any atoms change their

redox? oxidation number, yes.
What’s oxidized? The element that increases its
oxidation number
What’s reduced? The element that decreases its
oxidation number
reducing agent? oxidized
oxidizing agent? reduced
Examples
• In one part of the steel manufacturing process, carbon is

combined with iron to form pig iron. Pig iron is easier to work
with than pure iron because it has a lower melting point (about
1130 °C, compared to 1539 °C for pure iron) and is more
pliable. The following equations describe its formation.
Determine the oxidation number for each atom in the
formulas. Decide whether each reaction is a redox reaction,
and if it is, identify what is oxidized, what is reduced, what the
oxidizing agent is, and what the reducing agent is.
2C(s) + O2(g) → 2CO(g)
Fe2O3(s) + 3CO(g) → 2Fe(l) + 3CO2(g)
2CO(g) → C(in iron) + CO2(g)
Exercise
0 0 +2 –2
2C(s) + O2(g) → 2CO(g)
• Oxidation numbers
0 for C and O in O2 (uncharged elements)
–2 for O in CO (combined oxygen, not a peroxide)
+2 for C in CO (solve 0 = x + (-2) for x)
• C goes from 0 to +2 so it is oxidized.
• O goes from 0 to -2 so it is reduced
• O in O2 is reduced so O2 is the oxidizing agent.
• C in C(s) is oxidized so C is the reducing agent.
Exercise
+3 –2 +2 –2 0 +4 –2
Fe2O3(s) + CO(g) → 2Fe(l) + 3CO2(g)
–2 for O in all formulas with O (combined oxygen, not a peroxide)
+3 for Fe in Fe2O3 (solve 0 = 2x + 3(-2) for x)
0 for Fe in Fe(l) (uncharged element)
+4 for C in CO2 (solve 0 = x + 2(-2) for x)
• Fe goes from +3 to 0, so it is reduced.
• C goes from +2 to +4, so it is oxidized
• Fe in Fe2O3 is reduced, so Fe2O3 is the oxidizing agent.
• C in CO is oxidized, so CO is the reducing agent.
Exercise
+2 –2 0 +4 –2
2CO(g) → C(in iron) + CO2(g)
–2 for O in all formulas with O (combined oxygen, not a peroxide)
0 for C (uncharged element)
+4 for C in CO2 (solve 0 = x + 2(-2) for x)
• C in CO goes from +2 to 0 in C, so it is reduced.
• C in CO goes from +2 to +4 in CO2, so it is oxidized.
• C in CO is both oxidized and reduced, so CO is both
the oxidizing agent and the reducing agent. (This is
called disproportionation.)

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Questions Answered by

Is the reaction If any atoms change their

• Step 1: Assign oxidation numbers to as

Oxidation Examples Exceptions

Monatomic ions charge Cd in CdCl2 is +2. none

• Determine the oxidation number for each of

• Determine the oxidation number for each of

• Determine the oxidation number for each of

• Determine the oxidation number for each of

• Determine the oxidation number for each of

• Determine the oxidation number for each of

Is the reaction If any atoms change their

• In one part of the steel manufacturing process, carbon is

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