oksidaationumero

Oksidaationumero, also known as oxidation state, is a hypothetical charge that an atom would have if all bonds to atoms of different elements were 100% ionic. It is a bookkeeping tool used in chemistry to track the transfer of electrons in chemical reactions, particularly in redox (reduction-oxidation) reactions. The oxidation number is assigned to individual atoms within a molecule or ion.

There are a set of rules for assigning oxidation numbers. For example, the oxidation number of an element in its elemental form is always zero. In compounds, oxygen typically has an oxidation number of -2, except in peroxides where it is -1. Hydrogen usually has an oxidation number of +1 when bonded to nonmetals and -1 when bonded to metals. The sum of the oxidation numbers of all atoms in a neutral compound is zero, and in a polyatomic ion, the sum equals the charge of the ion.

Oxidation involves an increase in oxidation number, indicating a loss of electrons. Reduction involves a decrease in oxidation number, indicating a gain of electrons. Understanding oxidation numbers is crucial for balancing redox equations and predicting the outcomes of chemical reactions. It is a concept that applies across various branches of chemistry, including inorganic, organic, and analytical chemistry.