The oxidation state of nitrogen in hydrazine is

Options

A. `-1`
B. `-2`
C. `+1`
D. `+2`

Answer

To determine the oxidation state of nitrogen in hydrazine (N₂H₄), we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Chemical Formula**:
- The chemical formula for hydrazine is N₂H₄, which indicates that there are two nitrogen (N) atoms and four hydrogen (H) atoms in the molecule.

2. **Assign Oxidation States**:
- We will denote the oxidation state of nitrogen as \( X \).
- The oxidation state of hydrogen is generally +1.

3. **Set Up the Equation**:
- Since hydrazine is a neutral molecule, the sum of the oxidation states must equal zero.
- Therefore, we can set up the equation as follows:
\[ 2X + 4(+1) = 0 \]
- Here, \( 2X \) accounts for the two nitrogen atoms, and \( 4(+1) \) accounts for the four hydrogen atoms.

4. **Simplify the Equation**:
- Simplifying the equation gives:
\[ 2X + 4 = 0 \]

5. **Solve for \( X \)**:
- Rearranging the equation to solve for \( X \):
\[ 2X = -4 \]
\[ X = -2 \]

6. **Conclusion**:
- The oxidation state of nitrogen in hydrazine (N₂H₄) is -2.

### Final Answer:
The oxidation state of nitrogen in hydrazine is -2.

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