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In chemistry, the oxidation state, or oxidation number, is the hypothetical charge of an atom if all of its bonds to other atoms are fully ionic. It describes the degree of oxidation (loss of electrons ) of an atom in a chemical compound .
An atom (or ion) whose oxidation number increases in a redox reaction is said to be oxidized (and is called a reducing agent). It is accomplished by loss of one or more electrons. The atom whose oxidation number decreases gains (receives) one or more electrons and is said to be reduced. This relation can be remembered by the following mnemonics.
The oxidation states are also maintained in articles of the elements (of course), and systematically in the table {{Infobox element/symbol-to-oxidation-state}}
In contrast to the valency number, the oxidation state can be positive (for an electropositive atom) or negative (for an electronegative atom). Elements in a high oxidation state have an oxidation state higher than +4, and also, elements in a high valence state (hypervalent elements) have a valence higher than 4
Redox (/ ˈ r ɛ d ɒ k s / RED-oks, / ˈ r iː d ɒ k s / REE-doks, reduction–oxidation [2] or oxidation–reduction [3]: 150 ) is a type of chemical reaction in which the oxidation states of the reactants change. [4] Oxidation is the loss of electrons or an increase in the oxidation state, while reduction is the gain of electrons or a ...
In this reaction, chlorine undergoes disproportionation, both reduction and oxidation. Chlorine, oxidation number 0, forms chloride (Cl −; oxidation number −1) and chlorate(V) (ClO − 3; oxidation number +5). The reaction of cold aqueous metal hydroxides with chlorine produces the chloride and hypochlorite (oxidation number +1) instead.
When the metal has more than one possible ionic charge or oxidation number the name becomes ambiguous. In these cases the oxidation number (the same as the charge) of the metal ion is represented by a Roman numeral in parentheses immediately following the metal ion name. For example, in uranium(VI) fluoride the oxidation number of uranium is 6 ...
Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. [1] It is a physical science within the natural sciences that studies the chemical elements that make up matter and compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions: their composition, structure, properties, behavior and the changes they undergo during reactions with other substances.