- #1
AngelShare
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At this moment, I'm on balancing redox equations. I'm stuck on step one though...
1. Assign oxidation numbers to all atoms in the equation...
S + HNO3 --> SO2 + NO + H2O
This particular problem is an example in my Chem book so I already know the answers. I just don't understand why they are what they are. I understand this part: All free, uncombined elements have an oxidation number of zero. ...so that's simple...it's the rest I'm not getting.
The first part that throws me is the HNO3 part. Why is N +5?
1. Assign oxidation numbers to all atoms in the equation...
S + HNO3 --> SO2 + NO + H2O
This particular problem is an example in my Chem book so I already know the answers. I just don't understand why they are what they are. I understand this part: All free, uncombined elements have an oxidation number of zero. ...so that's simple...it's the rest I'm not getting.
The first part that throws me is the HNO3 part. Why is N +5?