The oxidation number of hydrogen is +1 when it is combined with a nonmetal as in CH4, NH3, H2O, and HCl.
The elements in Group IIA form compounds (such as Mg3N2 and CaCO3) in which the metal atom has a +2 oxidation number.
The sum of the oxidation numbers in a polyatomic ion is equal to the charge on the ion. The oxidation number of the sulfur atom in the SO42- ion must be +6, for example, because the sum of the oxidation numbers of the atoms in this ion must equal -2.
Elements toward the bottom left corner of the periodic table are more likely to have positive oxidation numbers than those toward the upper right corner of the table. Sulfur has a positive oxidation number in SO2, for example, because it is below oxygen in the periodic table. SO2: (+4) + 2(-2) = 0