The oxidation number of nitrogen in \(Pb(NO_{3})_{2}\) is

Assessment: WAEC SSCE - Chemistry - 2017 (Objective) Subject: Chemistry

Question 1 Report

The oxidation number of nitrogen in \(Pb(NO_{3})_{2}\) is

Answer Details
The oxidation number of an element in a compound represents the charge that the element would have if the compound were a completely ionic compound. The oxidation number of nitrogen in Pb(NO3)2 is +5. This can be determined using the concept of oxidation states, which are assigned to elements based on a set of rules. One of the rules is that the sum of the oxidation states of all the elements in a neutral compound must equal zero. In Pb(NO3)2, the oxidation state of lead (Pb) is +2, since it is a metal and typically has a positive charge in ionic compounds. The sum of the oxidation states of nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O) must then equal -2 to balance out the charge of lead. Since there are three oxygen atoms, each with an oxidation state of -2, the sum of the oxidation states of oxygen is -6. The oxidation state of nitrogen must then be +5 to balance the equation. So, the oxidation number of nitrogen in Pb(NO3)2 is +5.

Download The App On Google Playstore

Everything you need to excel in your exams

Green Bridge CBT Mobile App
Personalized AI Learning Chat Assistant
200,000+ Exam Questions Across IGCSE, JAMB, WAEC & NECO
Over 3,900 Lesson Notes
Offline Support - Learn Anytime, Anywhere
Green Bridge Timetable
Literature Summaries & Potential Questions
Track Your Performance & Progress
In-depth Explanations for Comprehensive Learning