Answer to Question #257008 in Inorganic Chemistry for shamsa

Question

5.compare the oxidation number and formal charge of hydrogen in the molecules H2, BeH2, and H2O. (5 marks)

Answer 1

The oxidation number for elemental hydrogen, H2, is 0

Hydrogen has an oxidation number of +1 in water because it has lost one electron. Because the single oxygen atom has received a total of two electrons, one from each hydrogen, oxygen has an oxidation number of +2.

The oxidation number of beryllium in beryllium dihydride is 2.