Oxidation State

Oxidation States Are Fundamental Concept In Chemistry. They Are The Formal Charges An Atom Has In A Chemical Compound. Oxidation States Can Help One To Understand Many Aspects Of Chemistry Including Structure, Stability And Reactivity. Knowing The Oxidation State Of An Atom In A Compound Is Hugely Helpful In Understanding The Distribution Of Electrons. This Is Very Important, Because Electrons Ultimately Dictate The Chemical, Physical And Biological Behaviour Of The Substance. The Most Simple Oxidation State, 0, Is The State Of A Neutral Atom. It Is The State That The Majority Of Elements Are In In The Universe. Oxidation States Then Get Larger With More Positive Numbers; These Are Call Oxidation States. On The Other Hand, Reduction States Have Smaller Numbers, Often Negative, And Connote A Decrease Of Oxidation. It Is Also Important To Note That Some Elements Have Multiple Oxidation States. These Are Typically Found In The Transition Metals, Such As Iron (Fe2+ And Fe3+) And Copper (Cu1+ And Cu2+). The Actual Oxidation State Depends On The Other Components In The Molecules With Which The Transition Metal Is Interacting. Not Only Is The Oxidation State Beneficial For Understanding Chemical Interactions, But It Is Also Useful In Predicting The Chemical Composition Of A Compound. For Example, If The Oxidation State Of One Atom Is Higher Than The Oxidation State Of The Adjacent Atom, Then The Element Is Likely To Combine With Another Atom To Form A Compound. Finally, Oxidation States Are Important Parameters In The Study Of Redox Reactions. When An Element In A Molecule Gains Electrons It Is Oxidized, And When It Looses Electrons It Is Reduced. This Process Generally Encourages The Molecule To Reach A More Stable State And Encourages The Reaction To Take Place. Overall, Oxidation State Is An Essential Concept In Chemistry. Knowing And Understanding Oxidation States Can Help Explain Redox Reactions, Chemical Composition, And The Rearrangement Of Electrons. Without Oxidation States Many Important Theories And Applications Would Not Be Possible.