Nonmetals typically have oxidation numbers that are

Nonmetals typically have oxidation numbers that are

• A. Usually Negative
• B. Usually Positive
• C. Usually Zero
• D. Varies Randomly

Answer: (A)

Nonmetals tend to attract electrons in bonds because they are highly electronegative, so in oxidation-state bookkeeping the nonmetal is typically assigned the negative number. This reflects the usual flow of electron density toward the more electronegative atom, especially in compounds formed with metals where the nonmetal gains electrons to form anions. For common nonmetal-containing substances, you’ll often see negative oxidation states assigned to the nonmetal, such as oxygen in water being -2 or nitrogen in nitrates being positive relative to the oxygens but still illustrating how the nonmetal commonly bears negative or highly negative values. There are exceptions where a nonmetal ends up with a positive oxidation state (for example, oxygen in OF2 or chlorine in certain oxoanions), but these are less typical. The question targets this general trend: nonmetals usually have oxidation numbers that are negative.

Nonmetals tend to attract electrons in bonds because they are highly electronegative, so in oxidation-state bookkeeping the nonmetal is typically assigned the negative number. This reflects the usual flow of electron density toward the more electronegative atom, especially in compounds formed with metals where the nonmetal gains electrons to form anions. For common nonmetal-containing substances, you’ll often see negative oxidation states assigned to the nonmetal, such as oxygen in water being -2 or nitrogen in nitrates being positive relative to the oxygens but still illustrating how the nonmetal commonly bears negative or highly negative values. There are exceptions where a nonmetal ends up with a positive oxidation state (for example, oxygen in OF2 or chlorine in certain oxoanions), but these are less typical. The question targets this general trend: nonmetals usually have oxidation numbers that are negative.