What is the oxidation number of manganese in MnO2?

Understand the Problem

The question is asking for the oxidation number of manganese in the compound MnO2. To determine this, we consider the oxidation states of the elements involved. In MnO2, oxygen typically has an oxidation state of -2. With two oxygen atoms contributing a total of -4, we can deduce the oxidation state of manganese needed to balance this charge.

Answer

+4

The final answer is +4

Answer for screen readers

The final answer is +4

More Information

The oxidation number of manganese in MnO2 is +4. This can be determined by the following: The total charge of MnO2 must be zero. Oxygen usually has an oxidation state of -2. Since there are two oxygen atoms, the total oxidation state for oxygen is -4. Thus, manganese must have an oxidation state of +4 to balance the -4 from oxygen.

Tips

A common mistake is to miscalculate the individual oxidation states of the elements within the compound.

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