1. Assign Oxidation States to Oxygen:
* Oxygen typically has an oxidation state of -2, and since there are three oxygen atoms in NO₃⁻, their total contribution is -6.
2. Determine the Overall Charge:
* The nitrate ion has a charge of -1.
3. Calculate the Oxidation State of Nitrogen:
* Let 'x' represent the oxidation state of nitrogen.
* The sum of the oxidation states of all atoms in the ion must equal the overall charge:
* x + (-6) = -1
* Solve for x:
* x = +5
Therefore, the oxidation state of nitrogen in NO₃⁻ is +5.
