If a polyatomic ion contains a -3 charge, what is the sum of oxidation numbers for that ion?

Study for the ACS Organic Chemistry Exam. Explore multiple choice questions with hints and detailed explanations. Get prepared for your test!

Multiple Choice

If a polyatomic ion contains a -3 charge, what is the sum of oxidation numbers for that ion?

Explanation:
Oxidation numbers inside a polyatomic ion add up to the ion’s overall charge. If the ion carries a -3 charge, the sum of all the oxidation states must be -3. So the total oxidation-number sum is -3. A sum of 0 would mean a neutral species, +3 would indicate an overall positive ion, and -1 would correspond to a singly negatively charged ion with charge -1.

Oxidation numbers inside a polyatomic ion add up to the ion’s overall charge. If the ion carries a -3 charge, the sum of all the oxidation states must be -3. So the total oxidation-number sum is -3. A sum of 0 would mean a neutral species, +3 would indicate an overall positive ion, and -1 would correspond to a singly negatively charged ion with charge -1.

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