Ionic Formation And Oxidation Numbers

1. IonicFormation And Oxidation Numbers By: Payden W, Rosie L, Hayley B & Scott I

2. What is Ion Formation? Ion formation is when an electron is added or taken away to add or disrupted the power of the atom. Since this atom has lost or gained a charge, the atom itself becomes a positive or negatively charged ion. There are three ways to make a sublevel stable. The level can either be empty, half full, or full. An atom will either lose or gain electrons to make this sublevel stable.

3. In an atom, when the effective nuclear charge becomes very weak, electrons can more easily be lost, or taken by other atoms. This means that if the number of shielding electrons neutralizes most of the protons in the nucleus, the valance level electrons are not experiencing a strong pull to the nucleus. Also, if the effective nuclear charge becomes very strong, or not very many of the protons in the nucleus are neutralized, then the atom can more easily attract electrons from other atoms. The loss or gain of electrons creates an ion.

4. Oxidation Numbers Oxidation numbers are the charge an atom would have if it was built up of just ions. An atom that is neutral will have a oxidation number of zero. Oxidation numbers of plain ions is the same charge on the ion. In group 1, the atom will lose up to one electron. In group 2, the atom will lose up to two electrons. In group 3, the atom will lose up to three electrons. So on and so forth until we get to group 8,then a numerous amount of electrons can be lost. After the 8th group, the trends in the oxidation numbers are various. It can vary anywhere from losing eight electrons to gaining 1. It is a difficult trend to explain.

5. bibliography • http://www.chemistrycoach.com/oxno.htm • http://chemed.chem.purdue.edu/genchem/topicreview/bp/ch2/oxnumb.html • http://www.ivstandards.com/extras/pertable/