An oxide is a compound of one or more oxygen atoms in combination with other elements. Different elements have different charges when they exist by themselves. Similarly, they exhibit different charges when in combination with other elements to form compounds.
Just like other elements and compounds, oxide has a charge. This charge varies with the different compounds. An oxide is a dianion with a charge of -2.
Is there a likelihood that this charge will be different for different oxide compounds? Find out in this article.
What is the charge of an oxide?
The charge of an oxide is -2. Oxides carry the same charge as single oxygen atoms. However, some oxides have different charges, depending on the elements they react with to form a compound.
What is the charge of peroxide?
The overall charge of a peroxide, H2O2, is 0. The charge on the oxygen in the compound is -1.
What is the charge of superoxide?
The charge on the two oxygen atoms in a superoxide, O2- is -1.
What is the charge of Na2O?
Sodium oxide, Na2O, has an overall charge of 0. The charge on oxygen is -2 and two sodium ions are required to neutralize the charge on oxygen.
What is the charge of Al2O3?
Aluminum oxide, Al2O3, has an overall charge of 0. The aluminium ion has a +3 charge and the two ions have a net charge of +6. Similarly, the three oxygen ions have a net charge of -6 (each has a -2 charge).
The two values will cancel out each other and give a net charge of 0.
Can oxide have a positive charge?
No, oxides are anions. They carry the net charge on two oxygen ions.
What is the oxidation number of oxygen in oxide?
The oxidation number of oxygen in an oxide is -2.
FAQs
What is the charge of lithium oxide?
Lithium oxide, Li2O, has an overall charge of 0. Lithium uses two of its atoms to neutralize the -2 charge on oxygen.
Is the valency of oxide the same as its charge?
Yes, it is. The valency of most elements is equal to their charge. However, valency and charge are two different terms.
Valency is the combining power of an element which is also the same as the number of electrons in the outermost shell of the atom. On the other hand, charge refers to the number of electrons an atom loses or gains.
Moreover, valency does not have a negative or positive sign but charge carries one of these signs.
What is the charge of Fe2O3?
The charge on Fe2O3 is zero. The charge in the three oxygen atoms in this compound is -6 and the charge on the iron atoms is +6. Both charges will neutralize each other and give an overall charge of 0.
Conclusion
Oxides are dianions with a -2 charge. Oxygen readily forms oxides with metals and nonmetals because of its -2 charge.
In most oxides, the charge is -2. But in specific oxides like peroxides and superoxides, the charge could be different. It could be a -1 or +1. Generally, the charge of oxides will vary with compounds.
Learn further with this article on the charge of NO (nitric oxide).
Thanks for reading.
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