Question

What is oxidation number of sulphur in magnesium hydrogen sulphate mg(hso4)2

Answer 1

+2

Answer 2

the molecule as a whole has a neutral charge, and the hydrogen sulfate ion as \(part\) of the molecule has a -1 charge. The sum of charges of all the ions must equal the charge of the ion as a whole.

As a general rule, oxygen in a compound has a charge of -2, and hydrogen will have a charge of +1 when used as a cation.

\[(#H) + (#S) + 4(#O) = -1\]so\[(+1) + (#S) + 4(-2) = -1\]