Aamc 11 ps#33

[mejorization]

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To get this question right, you have to know the oxidation states of zinc. Is this something we're expected to know? Usually you can figure it out if they tell you the whole compound (ZnCl2, Cl is -1 so Zn must be +2), but not for this one.

 

[Donald Juan]

To get this question right, you have to know the oxidation states of zinc. Is this something we're expected to know? Usually you can figure it out if they tell you the whole compound (ZnCl2, Cl is -1 so Zn must be +2), but not for this one.

Yes you are expected to know that. Zn only has one oxidation state of +2 because it has completely filled d orbitals, the only stable ion it forms is when it loses its 2s electrons. Most of the oxidation states of transition metals you don't really have to memorize if you understand how they lose electrons. However, if you don't understand that then you just need to memorize the few that only have one oxidation state.

 

[mejorization]

That makes sense. What about for copper? Its electron configuration is []4s1 3d10. So if it only loses the 4s electron, should it only have a +1 oxidation state?

Yes you are expected to know that. Zn only has one oxidation state of +2 because it has completely filled d orbitals, the only stable ion it forms is when it loses its 2s electrons. Most of the oxidation states of transition metals you don't really have to memorize if you understand how they lose electrons. However, if you don't understand that then you just need to memorize the few that only have one oxidation state.

 

[Donald Juan]

That makes sense. What about for copper? Its electron configuration is []4s1 3d10. So if it only loses the 4s electron, should it only have a +1 oxidation state?

Yeah, Cu is a little weird because you might expect it to only have the +1 oxidation state like Ag does, but it can also have +2. But, I'm pretty sure any redox reaction involving copper (or any other metal with more than one oxidation state) would have to have an indication of what the oxidation state was.

 

[mejorization]

Ah, ok. Thanks!

 

[SN2ed]

Thread moved. These types of questions belong in the Stud Q&A forum.