The oxidation number of nitrogen in `HN_(3)` is

Options

A. `+1//3`
B. `+3`
C. `-1//3`
D. `-1`

Answer

To determine the oxidation number of nitrogen in hydrazoic acid (HN₃), we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Chemical Formula**: The chemical formula for hydrazoic acid is HN₃.

2. **Assign Oxidation Numbers**:
- The oxidation number of hydrogen (H) is typically +1.
- Let the oxidation number of nitrogen (N) be represented as \( x \).

3. **Count the Atoms**:
- In HN₃, there is 1 hydrogen atom and 3 nitrogen atoms.

4. **Set Up the Equation**:
- The sum of the oxidation numbers in a neutral compound must equal zero. Therefore, we can write the equation:
\[ +1 + 3x = 0 \]
Here, +1 is from hydrogen and \( 3x \) is from the three nitrogen atoms.

5. **Solve for \( x \)**:
- Rearranging the equation gives:
\[ 3x = -1 \]
- Dividing both sides by 3:
\[ x = -\frac{1}{3} \]

6. **Conclusion**:
- The oxidation number of nitrogen in HN₃ is \( -\frac{1}{3} \).

### Final Answer:
The oxidation number of nitrogen in HN₃ is \( -\frac{1}{3} \).

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