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What is the oxidation state of Hg in Hg2Cl₂?
O A. +1
OB. -1
O C. +2
OD. -2

User Arg
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2 Answers

21 votes
21 votes

Answer: O A. +1

Explanation: i took the test

User Userv
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27 votes
27 votes

Answer:

+1

Step-by-step explanation:

The oxidation state of Hg in Hg2Cl2 is +1. It has +1 state. 0=2Hg +2 (-1) Hg=+1. Mercury chloride (HgCl2) is considered as the dominant form of mercury in coal combustion flue gas. The oxidation state of an atom is the charge of this atom after ionic approximation of its heteronuclear bonds. The oxidation number is synonymous with the oxidation state. Determining oxidation numbers from the Lewis structure (Figure 1a) is even easier than deducing it from the molecular formula (Figure 1b). The oxidation number of each atom can be calculated by subtracting the sum of lone pairs and electrons it gains from bonds from the number of valence electrons. Bonds between atoms of the same element (homonuclear bonds) are always divided equally. When dealing with organic compounds and formulas with multiple atoms of the same element, it's easier to work with molecular formulas and average oxidation numbers (Figure 1d). Organic compounds can be written in such a way that anything that doesn't change before the first C-C bond is replaced with the abbreviation R (Figure 1c). Unlike radicals in organic molecules, R cannot be hydrogen. Since the electrons between two carbon atoms are evenly spread, the R group does not change the oxidation number of the carbon atom it's attached to.

source: www.chegg.com

User Sultan Shakir
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