What is the oxidation number of chlorine in ClO3?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking for the oxidation number of chlorine in the compound ClO3 (chlorate ion). To determine the oxidation number, we need to consider the known oxidation states of oxygen and apply the rules for calculating oxidation states in a compound.
Answer
+5
The oxidation number of chlorine in ClO3 is +5.
Answer for screen readers
The oxidation number of chlorine in ClO3 is +5.
More Information
In the chlorate ion (ClO3-), chlorine has an oxidation number of +5. Each oxygen atom typically has an oxidation number of -2, making the total for oxygen -6. To balance the overall charge of -1 on the ion, chlorine must have a +5 oxidation state.
Tips
Common mistakes include miscalculating the overall charge of the ion or the number of oxygen atoms involved.
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