Have you ever wondered how elements in the periodic table get their unique properties? It all comes down to their oxidation states. Check out this black and white printable periodic table chart that highlights the oxidation states for each element.
Hydrogen
Hydrogen, the first element on the periodic table, has an oxidation state of +1 when combined with non-metals such as oxygen and halogens. However, when combined with metals, hydrogen has an oxidation state of -1. This is because hydrogen donates one electron to non-metals and gains one electron from metals.
Carbon
Carbon has an oxidation state of -4 when combined with metals such as calcium and magnesium in their carbides. When combined with non-metals such as oxygen, nitrogen, or sulfur, carbon has oxidation states of -4, -2, +2, and +4. In organic compounds, carbon has an oxidation state of -2 in aldehydes and carboxylic acids and +4 in carboxylic acid derivatives such as esters and acid halides.
Nitrogen
Nitrogen has a wide range of oxidation states due to its ability to form multiple covalent bonds. Nitrogen has oxidation states of -3 in ammonia, -2 in amines and imines, 0 in nitrogen gas, +1 in nitrous oxide, +3 in nitric acid and its salts, +4 in nitrogen dioxide, and +5 in nitrate salts.
Oxygen
Oxygen has oxidation states of -2 in most compounds except for peroxides (-1), superoxides (-1/2), and compounds with fluorine (+2). Oxygen also has oxidation states of -3 in ozone and +2 in dioxygenyl.
Fluorine
Fluorine has an oxidation state of -1 in all of its compounds due to its high electronegativity. This means fluorine always gains one electron when it bonds with other elements.
Sodium
Sodium has an oxidation state of +1 in all of its compounds. This is because sodium atoms lose one electron to become positively charged when bonding with elements that have a higher electronegativity.
Chlorine
Chlorine has a wide range of oxidation states depending on the other elements it’s bonding with. Chlorine has oxidation states of -1 in most compounds, but it can also have oxidation states of +1 in compounds with oxygen and +7 in perchloric acid.
Iron
Iron has multiple oxidation states due to its ability to form both covalent and ionic bonds. Iron has oxidation states of -2 in ferrous compounds, +2 in ferric compounds, and +3 in iron(III) compounds.
Conclusion
The oxidation states of elements play a crucial role in understanding their chemical properties. As seen in the periodic table chart, elements can have a wide range of oxidation states depending on the other elements they’re bonding with. Understanding these oxidation states is essential for understanding chemical reactions and developing new compounds.
