Math Snap

STEP 1

What is this asking?
Which element makes oxygen have a positive oxidation number?
Watch out!
Oxygen usually has a negative oxidation state, so this is a special case!

STEP 2

1. Oxidation Number Rules
2. Analyze Options

STEP 3

Hey everyone!
Let's talk about oxidation numbers!
They're like little tags we put on elements in a compound to keep track of the electrons.
Remember, oxygen loves electrons.
It's super electronegative, which means it usually hogs them and gets a negative oxidation number, typically $-2$.

STEP 4

But, there's a twist!
Sometimes, oxygen meets an element that's even more electronegative than it is, and that element steals oxygen's electrons!
This leaves oxygen with a positive oxidation number.
So, we're looking for that super electron-hungry element.

STEP 5

Let's check out our options.
We've got fluorine, chlorine, hydrogen, and sulfur.

STEP 6

Fluorine (F) is the most electronegative element on the periodic table.
It's like the ultimate electron ninja!
So, when oxygen bonds with fluorine, fluorine wins the electron tug-of-war, and oxygen ends up with a positive oxidation number.
For example, in $OF_2$, oxygen has an oxidation number of $+2$.

STEP 7

Chlorine (Cl) is also pretty electronegative, but not as much as fluorine.
While chlorine can sometimes wrestle electrons away from oxygen, it's not as common.

STEP 8

Hydrogen (H) is much less electronegative than oxygen.
In water ($H_2O$), oxygen pulls electrons away from hydrogen, giving oxygen its usual $-2$ oxidation state.

STEP 9

Sulfur (S) is also less electronegative than oxygen.
So, oxygen will typically have a negative oxidation state when bonded with sulfur.

The element that makes oxygen take a positive oxidation number is (a) Fluorine.