Table of contents

1. A Review of General Chemistry5h 5m
2. Molecular Representations1h 14m
3. Acids and Bases2h 46m
4. Alkanes and Cycloalkanes4h 17m
5. Chirality3h 39m
6. Thermodynamics and Kinetics1h 22m
7. Substitution Reactions1h 48m
8. Elimination Reactions2h 30m
9. Alkenes and Alkynes2h 9m
10. Addition Reactions3h 19m
11. Radical Reactions1h 58m
12. Alcohols, Ethers, Epoxides and Thiols2h 42m
13. Alcohols and Carbonyl Compounds2h 17m
14. Synthetic Techniques1h 26m
15. Analytical Techniques:IR, NMR, Mass Spect7h 3m
16. Conjugated Systems6h 13m
17. Ultraviolet Spectroscopy51m
18. Aromaticity2h 34m
19. Reactions of Aromatics: EAS and Beyond5h 1m
20. Phenols55m
21. Aldehydes and Ketones: Nucleophilic Addition4h 56m
22. Carboxylic Acid Derivatives: NAS2h 51m
23. The Chemistry of Thioesters, Phophate Ester and Phosphate Anhydrides1h 10m
24. Enolate Chemistry: Reactions at the Alpha-Carbon1h 53m
25. Condensation Chemistry2h 9m
26. Amines1h 43m
27. Heterocycles2h 0m
28. Carbohydrates5h 53m
29. Amino Acids4h 20m
30. Peptides and Proteins2h 42m
31. Catalysis in Organic Reactions1h 30m
32. Lipids 2h 50m
33. The Organic Chemistry of Metabolic Pathways2h 52m
34. Nucleic Acids1h 32m
35. Transition Metals6h 14m
36. Synthetic Polymers1h 49m

13. Alcohols and Carbonyl Compounds

Oxidizing and Reducing Agents

Organic Chemistry

13. Alcohols and Carbonyl Compounds

Oxidizing and Reducing Agents

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Problem 5d

Textbook Question

Calculate the oxidation numbers for the indicated atoms.
(d)

Verified step by step guidance

Identify the molecule in the image: The molecule shown is carbon dioxide (CO₂), where the carbon atom is double-bonded to two oxygen atoms.

Recall the general rule for oxidation numbers: Oxygen typically has an oxidation number of -2.

Set up the equation for the oxidation number of carbon: Let the oxidation number of carbon be x. The equation based on the sum of oxidation numbers being zero for a neutral molecule is: x + 2(-2) = 0.

Solve the equation for x: Simplify the equation to find the oxidation number of carbon. This involves solving x - 4 = 0.

Conclude the oxidation number: The oxidation number of carbon in carbon dioxide is determined by solving the equation, which will give you the value of x.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Oxidation Numbers

Oxidation numbers are a way to keep track of electrons in chemical reactions, indicating the degree of oxidation of an atom. For carbon in CO2, the oxidation number is +4, as it loses four electrons to the more electronegative oxygen atoms, each of which has an oxidation number of -2.

Carbonyl Compounds

Carbonyl compounds contain a carbon-oxygen double bond, which is a key functional group in organic chemistry. In CO2, the carbonyl group is part of the linear structure, and understanding its reactivity is crucial for predicting chemical behavior, especially in reactions involving nucleophiles like H3O+.

Quenching in Chemical Reactions

Quenching refers to the process of stopping or neutralizing a chemical reaction, often by adding a reagent that reacts with reactive intermediates. In the context of the image, H3O+ is used to quench the reaction, likely stabilizing any reactive species formed during the process.

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