Question

What is the oxidation number of $$Si$$ (silicon)?

Answer 1

Hint: The oxidation state or sometimes known as oxidation number, defines the degree of oxidation that an atom possesses in a chemical compound. In other words, oxidation number refers to the charge left on the central atom especially when all the bonding pairs of electrons get broken, with the charge allocated to the most electronegative atom.

Complete step by step answer:
There are few important rules to estimate the oxidation number of every atom in the compounds or ions which are as follows:
1. The oxidation number of elements in a compound like hydrogen in a compound is generally $$+1$$. While, oxidation number of oxygen in a compound is generally$$-2$$, except to that in peroxides, where it is$$-1$$ and silicon in a compound, as a carbon analogue, generally possess an oxidation state of$$+4$$.
2. The summation of all the oxidation numbers in a polyatomic ion is generally equal to the charge exhibited by the ion.
In the given question, none of the compound is provided but only an element, $$Si$$ is given which has neither donated nor accepted any electron, and thus, it is zerovalent which means that it has a formal oxidation state of 0.
Hence, the oxidation number of $$Si$$(silicon) is 0.

Note: The more electronegative element in a substance is always allotted a negative oxidation state whereas, the less electronegative element is allotted a positive oxidation state. Always remember the fact that electronegativity is greatest at the top-right in the periodic table which declines toward the bottom-left.