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Oxidation numbers are a useful “accountancy” tool to help keep track of electrons in
compounds and reactions. This is particularly important in redox reactions where some atoms
lose (are oxidised) and others gain (are reduced) electrons. It is the positive or negative charge
the atom would have if the molecule was completely ionic.
The rules should be used in this order – the higher the rule, the higher its priority.
1. An atom in its elemental form (e.g. Fe, Cl2, graphite etc) has oxidation number = 0
2. The sum of the oxidation number of all the atoms in a molecule equals zero.
3. The sum of the oxidation number of all the atoms in an ion equals the charge of the ion.
4. The oxidation number of fluorine is -1 (except in F2 where it is 0 [rule 1]).
5. The oxidation number of group 1 elements is +1.
6. The oxidation number of group 2 elements is +2
7. The oxidation number of oxygen is -2, except peroxides where it is -1.
8. The oxidation number of halogens is usually -1.
9. The oxidation number of hydrogen is +1 when bonded to non-metals and -1 when bonded
to metals.
Examples
N2O4 N2H4
HNO2
NH3
-‐ -‐
NO2
NH2
NO
NH4+
Model 2: Lewis Structures
Lewis structures can give us information about the electron arrangement in molecules.
The steps for drawing Lewis structures are:
1. For each of the following molecules and ions, draw the Lewis structure on the
underlined atom.
The ‘Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion’ (VSEPR) model assumes that the because of the
repulsion between electrons, the bonds and lone pairs surrounding an atom try to get as far
from each other as possible. For molecules and ions of the type XYn in which the central atom
X makes bonded to n atoms and has m lone pairs, the shape is dictated by the total number
of bonded atoms and lone pairs: n + m.
The 3D-arrangements of bonds and lone pair which maximize the distance between these
bonds and lone pairs for common values of (n + m) are shown in the table below.
The molecular shape or geometry is the arrangement of the bonds. If lone pairs are present, they
help to dictate what this arrangement is but are not included when the geometry of the molecule is
described. The table below shows the geometries possible when n + m = 4 - 6.
n
+
m
m
=
0
m
=
1
m
=
2
m
=
3
X
2
180o
X
3
120o
Y
5
120 o X X X Y X
Y
90o
Y
Y
Y
trigonal
bipyramidal
see-‐saw
T-‐shaped
Linear
Y
Y Y Y Y
6
90o X X X
Y Y Y Y
octahedral
square-‐based
pyramid
square
planar
T-‐shaped
Note that when n = 5, the lone pairs occupy the sites in the equatorial plane.
Critical thinking questions
System
n
m
n
+
m
Arrangement
SF2
SF4
SF6
SOF4
XeF2
XeF4
XeF3+
XeO2F2