Respuesta :
The oxidation number of potassium in compounds is always +1 and that of oxygen is almost always -2. Call the oxidation number of carbon in potassium carbonate n. Then, since the sum of the products of all the oxidation numbers of the elements in a compound multiplied by the number of atoms of that element must be 0, n + 2(1) + 3(-2) must be zero, or n must be +4.
Answer:
K = +1
O = -2
C = +4
Explanation:
1. Find the oxidation number for K:
As the potassium is a metal from the group I in the periodic table, it has the number of oxidation +1
[tex]K^{+1}_{2}CO_{3}[/tex]
2. Find the oxidation number for O:
As the number of valence electrons of the oxygen is 6, its oxidation number is -2, that is the number of electrons left to complete the octet rule.
[tex]K^{+1}_{2}CO^{-2}_{3}[/tex]
3. Find the oxidation number for C:
To find this oxidation number first multiply the oxidation numbers of the other elements by the quantity of each element in the molecular formula.
K = +1 * 2 = +2
O = -2 * 3 = -6
Therefore the oxidation number for C will be +4 because the addition of the oxidation numbers in the molecule must be equal to zero.
[tex]K^{+1}_{2}C^{+4} O^{-2}_{3}[/tex]