The oxidation state of chlorine in NaClO\(_3\) is?
Answer Details
The oxidation state of an element in a compound is the charge that the element would have if all the bonds in the compound were completely ionic. In NaClO\(_3\), the oxidation state of Na is +1 and the oxidation state of O is -2. Since the compound is neutral, the sum of the oxidation states of all the atoms in the compound must be zero.
To find the oxidation state of Cl, we can use the equation:
(+1) + x + 3(-2) = 0
where x is the oxidation state of Cl. Simplifying the equation gives:
x - 5 = 0
x = +5
Therefore, the oxidation state of chlorine in NaClO\(_3\) is +5.