Question

# A compound contains atoms of three elements A,B And C. If the oxidation number of A is +2, B Is +5 and that Of C Is −2, the possible formula of the compound is

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Solution

## Step 1: Given The oxidation numbers of the elements, A, B, C are $+2,+5\mathrm{and}-2$ respectively.Step 2: Deriving possible formulae of compoundThe formula of a compound with elements A, B, and C will be of the form${A}_{x}{B}_{y}{C}_{z}$where x,y, and z are the atomicities of individual atoms respectively.Step 3: Formula used A compound is always neutral, so the oxidation number of the compound is zero. Hence, the net oxidation number of the individual atoms is zero.Hence calculating in a similar way, $=\left(+2\right)\left(\mathrm{x}\right)+\left(+5\right)\left(\mathrm{y}\right)+\left(-2\right)\left(\mathrm{z}\right)=0\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=2\mathrm{x}+5\mathrm{y}-2\mathrm{z}=0$Step 4: Applying the hit and trial method for the deriving formula for the compoundRestricting it to conditions that the maximum oxidation state could be $+8or-3$, by the Hit and Trial method, the possible solutions of (x,y,z) could be $\left(1,2,6\right)or\left(3,2,8\right).$Both the sets are possible as the elements are unknown. Hence the compounds are $\mathrm{A}{\left({\mathrm{BC}}_{3}\right)}_{2}\mathrm{and}{\mathrm{A}}_{3}{\mathrm{B}}_{2}{\mathrm{C}}_{8}$

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