Multiple Choice
What is the oxidation state of an individual sulfur atom in MgSO_4?
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6. Chemical Quantities & Aqueous Reactions
Calculate Oxidation Numbers
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What is the oxidation state of an individual sulfur atom in SO_4^{2-}?
A
-2
B
0
C
+6
D
+4
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the overall charge of the polyatomic ion SO_4^{2-}, which is -2.
Recall that oxygen almost always has an oxidation state of -2 in compounds.
Since there are 4 oxygen atoms, calculate the total oxidation contribution from oxygen: 4 \times (-2) = -8.
Let the oxidation state of sulfur be x. Write the equation for the sum of oxidation states equal to the overall charge: x + (-8) = -2.
Solve for x: x = -2 + 8, which gives the oxidation state of sulfur.
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