CrO2, CrO3 and Cr2O3
I'm Having a lot of trouble understanding this whole oxidation number thing and my text book poorly explains how to figure out the oxidation numbers. I would really appreciate some help in understanding thus concept, thank very much
I'm Having a lot of trouble understanding this whole oxidation number thing and my text book poorly explains how to figure out the oxidation numbers. I would really appreciate some help in understanding thus concept, thank very much
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In CrO2, the oxidation number of Cr is +4.
In CrO3, it's +6
and in Cr2O3 it's +3.
Here's how I figured it: each oxygen atom takes 2 electrons to fill its outer shell
so in CrO2 the 2 oxygen atoms take a total of 4 electrons from the Cr, giving
it a net oxidation number (lost electrons) of 4.
Likewise, in CrO3 the 3 O atoms take 6 electrons from the single Cr atom.
In Cr2O3, the 3 O atoms take 6 electrons total, but we have two Cr atoms
so each atom gives up 3 electrons, giving it a net oxidation number of +3.
In CrO3, it's +6
and in Cr2O3 it's +3.
Here's how I figured it: each oxygen atom takes 2 electrons to fill its outer shell
so in CrO2 the 2 oxygen atoms take a total of 4 electrons from the Cr, giving
it a net oxidation number (lost electrons) of 4.
Likewise, in CrO3 the 3 O atoms take 6 electrons from the single Cr atom.
In Cr2O3, the 3 O atoms take 6 electrons total, but we have two Cr atoms
so each atom gives up 3 electrons, giving it a net oxidation number of +3.