Oxidation Numbers for Sulfur in H2S4

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skycracker00
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Oxidation Numbers for Sulfur in H2S4

Post by skycracker00 »

Hi guys, can someone help me figure out what each of the four Sulfur's oxidation number for H2S4 is? I know H is 1 and S is 6 but I don't get how you find the individual oxidation numbers for Sulfur..
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ChenBeier
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Re: Oxidation Numbers for Sulfur in H2S4

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Generally Bonds between the same type of Element are 0.
So we have a chain HSSSSH. Hydrogen is +1 and the first and fourth sulfur is -1. The other two 0.
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skycracker00
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Re: Oxidation Numbers for Sulfur in H2S4

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I see, thank you!
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xmaybexmemoriesx
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Re: Oxidation Numbers for Sulfur in H2S4

Post by xmaybexmemoriesx »

skycracker00 wrote: Thu Oct 28, 2021 11:50 pm I see, thank you!
ChenBeier is spot on correct! :lol:
But here's some rules of thumb and tips regarding oxidation numbers that I found helpful when I was learning way back when...I still use these today when tutoring/teaching chemistry to others! :!:

Rules for assigning oxidation numbers:
  • The oxidation number of a free element is always 0.
  • The oxidation number of a monatomic ion equals the charge of the ion.
  • Fluorine in compounds is always assigned an oxidation number of -1.
  • The alkali metals (group I) always have an oxidation number of +1.
  • The alkaline earth metals (group II) are always assigned an oxidation number of +2.
  • Oxygen almost always has an oxidation number of -2, except in peroxides (H2O2) where it is -1 and in compounds with fluorine (OF2) where it is +2.
  • Hydrogen has an oxidation number of +1 when combined with non-metals, but it has an oxidation number of -1 when combined with metals.
  • The algebraic sum of the oxidation numbers of elements in a compound is zero.
  • The algebraic sum of the oxidation states in an ion is equal to the charge on the ion.


Assigning oxidation numbers to organic compounds:
The oxidation state of any chemically bonded carbon may be assigned by adding -1 for each bond to more electropositive atom (H, Na, Ca, B) and +1 for each bond to more electronegative atom (O, Cl, N, P), and 0 for each carbon atom bonded directly to the carbon of interest.
For example:
  • propene: CH3-CH=CH2
  • lauric acid: CH3(CH2)10COOH
  • di-tert-butyl peroxide: (CH3)3COOC(CH3)3
  • di-isopropyl ether: (CH3)2CH-O-CH(CH3)2
  • dibenzyl sulfide: (C6H5CH2)2S
  • cysteine: HO2CCH(NH2)CH2SH
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Re: Oxidation Numbers for Sulfur in H2S4

Post by ChenBeier »

Good summary.
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