Understanding Oxidation Numbers
* Oxidation numbers represent the hypothetical charge an atom would have if all its bonds were ionic.
* The sum of oxidation numbers in a neutral compound must equal zero.
Steps
1. Oxygen's Oxidation Number: Oxygen usually has an oxidation number of -2, except in peroxides.
2. MoO4 Charge: Since there's no charge specified, we assume MoO4 is a neutral ion (charge of 0).
3. Set up the equation: Let 'x' be the oxidation number of Mo. We have:
x + 4(-2) = 0
4. Solve for x:
x - 8 = 0
x = +8
Therefore, the oxidation number of Mo in MoO4 is +8.
