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Multiple Choice
Which of the following compounds contains an atom with the highest oxidation number?
A
CO2
B
Fe2O3
C
Na2SO4
D
KMnO4
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1
Identify the oxidation states of the key atoms in each compound to determine which atom has the highest oxidation number.
For CO2, assign oxygen an oxidation state of -2. Since there are two oxygens, carbon's oxidation state is calculated by solving: \(x + 2(-2) = 0\), where \(x\) is carbon's oxidation number.
For Fe2O3, assign oxygen an oxidation state of -2. Calculate iron's oxidation state by solving: \$2x + 3(-2) = 0\(, where \)x$ is iron's oxidation number.
For Na2SO4, assign sodium an oxidation state of +1 and oxygen -2. Calculate sulfur's oxidation state by solving: \$2(+1) + x + 4(-2) = 0\(, where \)x$ is sulfur's oxidation number.
For KMnO4, assign potassium an oxidation state of +1 and oxygen -2. Calculate manganese's oxidation state by solving: \(+1 + x + 4(-2) = 0\), where \(x\) is manganese's oxidation number. Compare all calculated oxidation numbers to find the highest.