Atlas of Fundamental Concepts

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Canonical static concept record

Oxidation state

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Summary

An atom’s formal charge after assigning bonding electron pairs by an agreed ionic approximation; it is not generally an observable atomic charge.

Record metadata

Canonical name
Oxidation state
Concept ID
oxidation_state
Content version
2.3.0
Primary field
Chemistry
Fields
Chemistry
Primary domain
Atomic structure & periodicity
Domains
Atomic structure & periodicity
Alternate terminology
No alternate terminology is currently authored for this record.
Concept type
Electron-bookkeeping descriptor

Concept sources

Incoming relations (arrows to this concept)

Each relation below ends at this concept.

Coordination complexOxidation state

Permalink to relation

This is an authored directed relation from the source endpoint to the target endpoint.

Relation ID
chem_coordination_complex_to_oxidation_state_state_description
Relation type
State / property description state-description
Direction
source → target
Endpoint roles
source: Has state / property description; target: State / property description of
Authored annotation
assigned a formal metal oxidation state

Authored explanation

A coordination complex can be assigned formal oxidation states by an explicit ionic approximation; noninnocent ligands, delocalization, and metal–ligand covalency can make localization ambiguous.

How to interpret this relation type

The target represents a state, property, observable, or state-dependent description associated with the source system or theory.

Relation sources

Periodic tableOxidation state

Permalink to relation

This is an authored directed relation from the source endpoint to the target endpoint.

Relation ID
chem_periodic_table_to_oxidation_state_state_description
Relation type
State / property description state-description
Direction
source → target
Endpoint roles
source: Has state / property description; target: State / property description of
Authored annotation
maps recurring formal valence states

Authored explanation

Recurring oxidation states provide a formal periodic descriptor for electron bookkeeping, but they do not by themselves specify charge distribution or bonding.

How to interpret this relation type

The target represents a state, property, observable, or state-dependent description associated with the source system or theory.

Relation sources

Outgoing relations (arrows from this concept)

Each relation below starts at this concept.

Oxidation stateRedox reaction

Permalink to relation

This is an authored directed relation from the source endpoint to the target endpoint.

Relation ID
chem_oxidation_state_to_redox_reaction_theory_component
Relation type
Theory component theory-component
Direction
source → target
Endpoint roles
source: Contributes to; target: Contains theory component
Authored annotation
tracks formal electron transfer

Authored explanation

A redox reaction contains coupled increases and decreases in oxidation state, although the assigned states need not equal physical atomic charges.

How to interpret this relation type

The source supplies a substantive formal ingredient, dynamical sector, law, field content, or mechanism of the target theoretical framework.

Relation sources