The oxidation number of carbon in .` CH_2Cl_2` is .

Options

A. `0`
B. `2`
C. `3`
D. `5`

Explanation

To find the oxidation number of carbon in the compound CH₂Cl₂, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the elements in the compound**: In CH₂Cl₂, we have carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and chlorine (Cl).

2. **Assign known oxidation states**:
- The oxidation state of hydrogen (H) is typically +1.
- The oxidation state of chlorine (Cl) is typically -1.

3. **Set up the equation**: Let the oxidation state of carbon be represented as \( x \). The total oxidation states in a neutral compound must sum to zero. Therefore, we can write the equation based on the number of each atom:
\[ x + (2 \times +1) + (2 \times -1) = 0 \]

4. **Simplify the equation**:
- Calculate the contributions from hydrogen: \( 2 \times +1 = +2 \)
- Calculate the contributions from chlorine: \( 2 \times -1 = -2 \)
- Substitute these values into the equation:
\[ x + 2 - 2 = 0 \]

5. **Solve for \( x \)**:
- The equation simplifies to:
\[ x + 0 = 0 \]
- Therefore, \( x = 0 \).

6. **Conclusion**: The oxidation number of carbon in CH₂Cl₂ is 0.

### Final Answer:
The oxidation number of carbon in CH₂Cl₂ is 0.