Solutions to Exercises (Objective A):

1. Use the five rules to assign oxidation numbers to each element in the following:

a. MnO₄^-1

Mn: + 7 O: -2

b. C2H6

C: -3 H +1

c. Xe

Xe: 0

d. Fe3O4

Fe: +8/3 O: -2

e. OF2 (fluoride's rule takes precedence because it is more electronegative than oxygen.Since oxygen is more electronegative than the remaining halogens, oxygen has precedence over Cl, Br, and I)

F: -1 O: +2

f. H2O2 ( peroxide)

H: +1 O: -1

g. CH4

C: -4 H: +1

h. Cr₂O₇^-2

Cr: +6 O: -2

i. C2H6O

C: -2 H: +1 O: -2

j. C2H2

C: -1 H: +1

k. XeOF4

Xe: +6 O: -2 F: -1

l. Na₂C₂O₄

Na : +1 C: +3 O: -2

m. Ca(NO3)2

Ca:+2 N: +5 O: -2

n. UO2⁺²

U: +6 O: -2

o. NaBiO3

Na:+1 Bi: +5 O: -2

p. NH3

N: -3 H: +1

q. H3AsO4

H: +1 As:+5 O: -2

r. Al(OH)₃

Al : +3

H: +1

O : -2

s. N2

N: 0