Oxidation number vs. ionic charges

[jeanbean]

what is the difference between oxidation number and ionic charges? I realize they are written differently, +1 vs. 1+, but how can I reasonably explain the differnces to 17 year olds (and myself?)?

 

[GCT]

Oxidation number either pertains to the ratio of electrons to protons that an atom possesses perhaps in respect to covalent compounds while ionic charges is used in situations within ionic compounds. It basically has to do with electronegativity...in covalent compounds the charges are not so much as separated as in ionic compounds. The difference in terms is not really important though, truly insignificant.

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[ravenprp]

Oxidation number and ionic charge are two different ways of representing the same concept, which is the electrical charge of an atom or ion. The main difference between them is their notation and how they are determined.

Oxidation number is a number assigned to an atom in a molecule or ion based on a set of rules. It indicates the number of electrons that an atom has gained or lost in a chemical reaction. Oxidation numbers can be positive, negative, or zero, and they can be whole numbers or fractions.

On the other hand, ionic charge is the actual electrical charge of an ion, which is determined by the number of protons and electrons in the ion. It is always a whole number and can be positive, negative, or zero.

The notation for oxidation numbers and ionic charges also differ. Oxidation numbers are written as superscripts next to the element symbol, while ionic charges are written as subscripts at the end of the ion's chemical formula. For example, the oxidation number of oxygen in water (H2O) is -2, while the ionic charge of the oxygen ion (O2-) is also -2.

One way to explain the difference between oxidation numbers and ionic charges to 17 year olds is by using an analogy of a bank account. Just like how money can have positive or negative values in a bank account, atoms can have positive or negative oxidation numbers. However, the actual amount of money in the account is equivalent to the ionic charge, just like the actual number of electrons and protons in an ion determine its ionic charge.

In summary, oxidation number and ionic charge are two different ways of representing the electrical charge of an atom or ion. Oxidation numbers are assigned based on a set of rules and can be positive, negative, or zero, while ionic charges are determined by the actual number of protons and electrons in an ion and are always whole numbers.