[spickid]

 1)The O atom in HNO2


1) 1-4+2x = 0  x = 2/3? 

What am I doing wrong? The answer is suppose to be a whole number...

[Guitarmaniac86]

1)The O atom in HNO2


1) 1-4+2x = 0  x = 2/3? 

What am I doing wrong? The answer is suppose to be a whole number...

Nitrogen has a valency of 3. So it is a +3 species. Hydrogen is a +1 species. What does this make? The overall compound is neutral therefore, what is the oxidation state of the oxygen atom? Its very simple, you are over complicating things.

[Borek]

What is oxidation number of oxygen in almost every compound? Why do you think it should be different in nitrous acid?

[Borek]

Nitrogen has a valency of 3. So it is a +3 species.

Sometimes 3, sometimes 5, you don't know that beforehand. But you can check it using general rules for ON calculation.

[Guitarmaniac86]

Nitrogen has a valency of 3. So it is a +3 species.

Sometimes 3, sometimes 5, you don't know that beforehand. But you can check it using general rules for ON calculation.

True, however Ive never seen a compound where Nitrogen had a valency of 5. Then again, I probably should have considering Im in my second year BSc Chemistry degree  xD

Its easily worked out if you know the structure of the HNO₂ though. VB theory or MO theory helps even though its probably way too advanced and un-necessary for such calculations. (And I accused the original poster of over complicating things haha).

[Borek]

True, however Ive never seen a compound where Nitrogen had a valency of 5.

What about nitric acid?

I suppose I shouldn't mention nitrogen oxides like N₂O, NO, N₂O₃, NO₂ or N₂O₄ and N₂O₅ to not add to the confusion

[Guitarmaniac86]

True, however Ive never seen a compound where Nitrogen had a valency of 5.

What about nitric acid?

I suppose I shouldn't mention nitrogen oxides like N₂O, NO, N₂O₃, NO₂ or N₂O₄ and N₂O₅ to not add to the confusion

*Is embarrassed*

Sweet holy mother... I need to engage my brain more xD

[spickid]

Thank you for the *delete me*
I've read all the rules, but I continue to make mistakes.
I've tried about 5 times, using different perspectives, but I get the same solution

The S atom in CuSO4   S= 6+
The N atom in HNO2   N = 3+
 The Na atom in Na2SO4    Na = 5+
 The Cu atom in CuSO4   Cu = 2 +

[Borek]

The Na atom in Na2SO4    Na = 5+

This one is wrong, all others were OK.

ON for Na is governed by one of the basic rules.

http://www.chembuddy.com/?left=balancing-stoichiometry&right=oxidation-numbers-method

[enahs]

True, however Ive never seen a compound where Nitrogen had a valency of 5.

What about nitric acid?

I suppose I shouldn't mention nitrogen oxides like N₂O, NO, N₂O₃, NO₂ or N₂O₄ and N₂O₅ to not add to the confusion

Maybe this is just a word thing; and I am using valency in a different sense?
But for example, how does N

2

O have a valency of 5?

[Borek]

What I meant was that there are many possible valences of nitrogen, not only 3 & 5.