What is the oxidation state of P in PO4^3-?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking to determine the oxidation state of phosphorus (P) in the phosphate ion (PO4^3-). To solve this, we consider the known oxidation states of the other atoms in the ion and use the overall charge to find the oxidation state of phosphorus.
Answer
+5
The final answer is +5
Answer for screen readers
The final answer is +5
More Information
Phosphorus can have different oxidation states, including -3, +3, and +5. In the orthophosphate ion (PO4^3-), it has the maximum oxidation state of +5.
Tips
A common mistake is not accounting correctly for the total charge of the ion when calculating the oxidation states of the central atom.
Sources
- Oxidation number of P in PO4^3- ion - testbook.com
- What is the oxidation number of phosphorus in PO4^3- - socratic.org
- What is the oxidation state of oxygen and phosphorus in PO4^3- - homework.study.com
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