What are the elemental oxidation states in nitrate anion, NO_3^(-)?

1 Answer
Feb 24, 2017

The nitrogen centre is formally N^(+V) in the "nitrate anion....." And as is typical, we gots 3xxO(-II)..

Explanation:

The sum of the oxidation states of the individual elements in a compound ion ALWAYS equals the overall charge on the ion. Here we have the NO_3^- ion, in which oxygen assumes its usual oxidation state of -II. And thus

3xx(-II)+N_"oxidation state"=-1

Add +6 to both sides:

N_"oxidation state"=+V