Final answer:
The oxidation number of each carbon atom in oxalic acid (H₂C₂O₄) is +3.
This is determined by using the known oxidation numbers for hydrogen (+1) and oxygen (-2), setting up an equation, and solving for the unknown oxidation number of carbon.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the oxidation number of carbon (C) in oxalic acid (H₂C₂O₄), we need to consider the typical oxidation numbers for H and O, which are +1 and -2, respectively.
In oxalic acid, there are two hydrogen atoms and four oxygen atoms. By the rule, H contributes a total of +2 and O contributes a total of -8 to the overall charge.
Since oxalic acid is a neutral molecule, the sum of the oxidation numbers must be zero.
To find the oxidation number for each carbon atom, we let x be the oxidation number of C in H₂C₂O₄. We can then set up the equation:
2(+1) + 2(x) + 4(-2) = 0
Solving for x gives us:
2 + 2x - 8 = 0
2x - 6 = 0
2x = 6
x = 3
Therefore, the oxidation number of each carbon atom in oxalic acid is +3.