Question

In which of the following does nitrogen have the highest oxidation state?

A)HNO₃
B)NO₂
C)N₂O
D)NH₄Cl
E)NaNO₂

Answer 1

Nitrogen has the highest oxidation state of +5 in HNO₃, nitric acid, among the given compounds.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question revolves around determining in which compound nitrogen has the highest oxidation state. To identify this, we assess the oxidation numbers of nitrogen in each compound:

• A) HNO₃: Nitrogen has an oxidation state of +5.
• B) NO₂: Nitrogen has an oxidation state of +4.
• C) N₂O: Nitrogen can have an oxidation state as low as +1.
• D) NH₄Cl: Nitrogen has an oxidation state of -3.
• E) NaNO₂: Nitrogen has an oxidation state of +3.

Based on these oxidation states, we can conclude that nitrogen has the highest oxidation state in HNO₃, nitric acid, where it is +5.