1. Assign Oxidation Numbers to Oxygen and Hydrogen
* Oxygen (O): Oxygen usually has an oxidation number of -2, unless it's in a peroxide.
* Hydrogen (H): Hydrogen usually has an oxidation number of +1, unless it's bonded to a metal.
2. Set up an Equation
Let 'x' represent the oxidation number of carbon. The sum of the oxidation numbers in a neutral molecule must equal zero:
x + 2(+1) + (-2) = 0
3. Solve for x
* x + 2 - 2 = 0
* x = 0
Therefore, the oxidation number of carbon (C) in CH₂O is 0.
