Potassium superoxide

[Addallat]

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KO2

Can somebody please explain to me why the the oxidation state of the O2 is -1

also would the oxidation state of potassium be +1?

 

[dsoz]

I would think that the oxidation state of oxygen is -1/2.

Just checked... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superoxide states it is -1/2 for oxygen.

dsoz

 

[gettheleadout]

You should know that the superoxide ion is O₂^-.

You should also know that potassium will exist as K⁺ in an ionic compound and so will have an oxidation state of +1.

Using either of these two fact it can be deduced that the oxidation state of oxygen in the compound is -1/2.

 

[Addallat]

so wait a minute:

Why is the oxidation state of superoxide -1/2 in the compound but the oxidation of superoxide just -1?

 

[gettheleadout]

so wait a minute:

Why is the oxidation state of superoxide -1/2 in the compound but the oxidation of superoxide just -1?

The charge of superoxide is always -1 but the oxidation state of each oxygen atom individually within superoxide is -1/2.

 

[Addallat]

Ahhhh makes sense, thank you