How do I know which elements, within compounds, have different oxidation states?
So you want to know how to know whether or not an element has more than one oxidation states? Well most elements have more than one oxidation state although some oxidation states are quite uncommon and thus are not used in teaching. The transitions metals are the elements in the middle of the periodic table. Almost all of them have more than one oxidation states. Almost all nonmetals have more than one oxidation states as well. nonmetals are on the right side of the periodic table. I’d suggest that you get a periodic table that lists the possible oxidation states of all elements. An easy way to figure the oxidation state of something like Tin(Sn) which has 2 Oxidation states is to look at something else that you know the oxidation state for. Example: SnF2 Well you know Fluorine has a 1- oxidation state so the charge on Fluorine is 1-. Well there are 2 Fluorines so that’s 2 1- charges. 2 * 1- = 2- So if the total charge of the two Fluoride ions is 2- and there’s only one Tin atom then i
