Final answer:
The oxidation number of zinc in zinc sulfide (ZnS) can be found by assigning oxidation states based on established rules; with zinc typically +2 and sulfur thus being -2, making the compound neutral overall.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the oxidation number of zinc in zinc sulfide (ZnS), you can follow these steps:
- Assign oxidation numbers to each atom based on well-established rules. Hydrogen is typically +1, oxygen is typically -2, group 1 metals are +1, and group 2 metals are +2.
- Zinc, being a group 2 metal, will typically have an oxidation number of +2.
- Since the compound ZnS is neutral, the sum of oxidation numbers should be zero. Therefore, if zinc is +2, sulfur must be -2 to balance the compound.
Using guideline 3 (which states that the oxidation number for hydrogen is +1) and the formula of the compound, you can use guideline 4 to calculate the oxidation number for sulfur, helping confirm that zinc's oxidation number in zinc sulfide is indeed +2.
The periodic table can provide the necessary information about the general oxidation states of elements based on their group, but for compounds like ZnS, you would directly refer to the oxidation rules.