The oxidation state of Mn in `MnO_4^(2-)` is

Options

A. `+8`
B. `+6`
C. `+7`
D. `+5`

Answer

To find the oxidation state of manganese (Mn) in the ion \( \text{MnO}_4^{2-} \), we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Assign Variables
Let the oxidation state of manganese be \( X \).

### Step 2: Identify the Oxidation State of Oxygen
The oxidation state of oxygen is typically \(-2\). Since there are 4 oxygen atoms in \( \text{MnO}_4^{2-} \), the total contribution from oxygen will be:
\[ 4 \times (-2) = -8 \]

### Step 3: Set Up the Equation
The overall charge of the ion \( \text{MnO}_4^{2-} \) is \(-2\). We can set up the equation based on the sum of the oxidation states:
\[ X + (-8) = -2 \]

### Step 4: Solve for \( X \)
Now, we can solve for \( X \):
\[ X - 8 = -2 \]
Adding 8 to both sides gives:
\[ X = -2 + 8 \]
\[ X = 6 \]

### Conclusion
The oxidation state of manganese in \( \text{MnO}_4^{2-} \) is \( +6 \).