What is the oxidation state of n in NH4+?
The oxidation state of an element in a compound refers to the hypothetical charge that an atom would have if all the bonds in the compound were 100% ionic. In the case of NH4+, which is the ammonium ion, determining the oxidation state of nitrogen (N) is crucial for understanding its chemical behavior and reactivity.
NH4+ is composed of one nitrogen atom and four hydrogen atoms. Hydrogen typically has an oxidation state of +1 in most compounds, except when it is bonded to a metal, where it can have an oxidation state of -1. Since there are four hydrogen atoms in NH4+, the total oxidation state contribution from hydrogen is +4.
To determine the oxidation state of nitrogen, we can use the following equation:
Oxidation state of N + (Oxidation state of H x 4) = Charge on the ion
Since NH4+ has a charge of +1, we can plug in the values:
Oxidation state of N + (1 x 4) = +1
This simplifies to:
Oxidation state of N + 4 = +1
To isolate the oxidation state of nitrogen, we subtract 4 from both sides:
Oxidation state of N = +1 – 4
Oxidation state of N = -3
Therefore, the oxidation state of nitrogen in NH4+ is -3. This indicates that nitrogen has gained three electrons, which is a characteristic of a negatively charged ion. The presence of the negative charge on the nitrogen atom makes NH4+ a stable and versatile ion in various chemical reactions.
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