Naked Science Forum
Non Life Sciences => Chemistry => Topic started by: Quantumcat on 31/03/2003 04:39:21
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In an assignment I have to do for chemistry, one of the pieces of information I was given was that sulfur oxide is SO2, i thought that was curious because no. 14 was SiO2, yet all the others along the line are different. The total valence of the two oxygens is -4 and the sulfur is -2 .... how can that make a compound? I thought it had to ultimately equal zero to remain as a compound. Why is it like this?
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They only have to add up to zero if bonded Ionically, but in a Covalent bond the atoms share electrons to fill their outermost valence electron shell.
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aaaah, now the world makes sense! What happens in a covalent bond?
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oh wait you just said it oops
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Whew! Glad I didn't have to answer anything because I remember very little on the subject[:I].
It was my son who answered the question[:D].
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Oh ... how old is he? :p
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16 Why do you ask?
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oh ... just wondering :p
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In an assignment I have to do for chemistry, one of the pieces of information I was given was that sulfur oxide is SO2, i thought that was curious because no. 14 was SiO2, yet all the others along the line are different. The total valence of the two oxygens is -4 and the sulfur is -2 .... how can that make a compound? I thought it had to ultimately equal zero to remain as a compound. Why is it like this?
I know, I'm a bit late in answering this post!
Anyway, the oxidation number of oxygen is -2 and that of sulfur is +4 in SO2; -2*2 + 4 = 0.