Question

What are the oxidation numbers of sodium and oxygen atoms in Na₂O, respectively?

1) 0,0
2) +1, +1
3) +1, -2
4) +1, -1

Answer 1

In Na₂O, the oxidation number for sodium is +1, while for oxygen it is -2, corresponding with the sodium cation and oxygen anion in the compound.

Step-by-step explanation:

The oxidation numbers of sodium (Na) and oxygen (O) atoms in Na₂O are +1 and -2, respectively. For ionic compounds such as Na₂O, it is standard to assign oxidation numbers separately for cations and anions. Sodium, being the cation, follows the guideline that its oxidation number is +1, as is typical for sodium in compounds.

Oxygen, generally, has an oxidation number of -2 except in peroxides where it is -1. Given that Na₂O is not a peroxide, each oxygen atom would have an oxidation number of -2.