Chemistry · Chapter 18

Up and down the oxidation ladder

Nitrogen and phosphorus both start in a stable place and get walked to an acid. Step through each route and watch the oxidation state climb, then work out the pH of the acid you end up with.

The route, drawn on an oxidation ladder press step to move

pH of the acid slide the concentration

Which element?

Nitrogen gasoxidation state 0
0oxidation state start
step 0
N2 is already stable
Nitrogen gas makes up 78 percent of the air. Its triple bond is worth 945 kJ per mole, so almost nothing reacts with it at room temperature.

Count the acidic protons

1.62pH strong enough to sting
Protons it can give up3
Groups bonded to the centre—
First acid constant—
Central atom state—
—