In a polyatomic ion with net charge +1, the sum of oxidation numbers equals

In a polyatomic ion with net charge +1, the sum of oxidation numbers equals

• A. Zero
• B. The Compound's Total Charge
• C. The Number Of Electrons Gained
• D. The Charge On The Most Electronegative Atom

Answer: (B)

In oxidation-state bookkeeping, the sum of all oxidation numbers in a species must equal the overall charge of that species. That means for any polyatomic ion with a net charge of +1, the oxidation numbers assigned to its atoms must add up to +1. The ammonium example illustrates this: nitrogen is assigned -3 and each of the four hydrogens is +1, giving -3 + 4( +1 ) = +1, which matches the ion’s charge. The sum being zero would apply to neutral species, not a positively charged ion; oxidation numbers aren’t tied to how many electrons were gained, and the total isn’t determined by the charge on just the most electronegative atom.

In oxidation-state bookkeeping, the sum of all oxidation numbers in a species must equal the overall charge of that species. That means for any polyatomic ion with a net charge of +1, the oxidation numbers assigned to its atoms must add up to +1. The ammonium example illustrates this: nitrogen is assigned -3 and each of the four hydrogens is +1, giving -3 + 4( +1 ) = +1, which matches the ion’s charge. The sum being zero would apply to neutral species, not a positively charged ion; oxidation numbers aren’t tied to how many electrons were gained, and the total isn’t determined by the charge on just the most electronegative atom.