Calculate the oxidation number of the element underline in each of the following cases. A. Al in Al_(2)O_(3) b. P in P_(2)O_(5)

Calculate the oxidation number of the element underline in each of the

1.	Calculate the oxidation number of the element underline in each of the following cases. A. Al in Al_(2)O_(3) b. P in P_(2)O_(5)
Answer» Solution :The rule used here is that the algebraic sum of the oxidation numbers of all the atoms a molecule is zero. a. `Al_(2)O_(3)2xx("oxidation number of "AL)+3xx("Oxidation number of O")=0` `2xx("Oxidation number of Al")+3(-2)=0` `2xx("oxidation number of Al")+6` `:.` oxidation number of Al `=+3` b. `P_(2)O_(5):2xx`(oxidation no. P)`+5(-2)=0` `:.` oxidationn of `P+(+10)/2=+5`