What is the oxidation state of oxygen in peroxides?
Question
What is the oxidation state of oxygen in peroxides?
Solution
The oxidation state of oxygen in peroxides is -1. Here's how you can determine this:
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Peroxides include compounds such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).
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In general, the oxidation state is the charge that an atom would have if all bonds were ionic. Hydrogen usually has an oxidation state of +1.
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Since the molecule is neutral overall, the sum of the oxidation states of all atoms must be zero.
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If we let x be the oxidation state of oxygen, we can set up the following equation: 2(+1) + 2x = 0.
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Solving for x gives x = -1.
So, the oxidation state of oxygen in peroxides is -1.
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