In which of the following compounds, oxygen exhibits an...

In which of the following compounds, oxygen exhibits an oxidation state of $+2$ ?
(a) $\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}_{2}$
(b) $\mathrm{OF}_{2}$
(c) $\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}$
(d) $\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{SO}_{4}$

Key Concepts

Oxidation State

Oxidation state is a bookkeeping tool used in chemistry to help balance chemical reactions and understand electron distribution in compounds. It assigns a hypothetical charge to an atom based on a set of rules, such as assuming that electrons in a bond are completely transferred to the more electronegative atom. This method is particularly useful for analyzing redox reactions and understanding how electrons shift between atoms in various compounds.

Peroxides and Related Exceptions

Peroxides represent a special class of compounds where oxygen typically adopts an oxidation state of -1 instead of its usual -2. The bonding in peroxides involves a single bond between oxygen atoms, which alters the electron count on each oxygen. Additionally, certain compounds exhibit unusual oxidation states for oxygen when it is bonded to elements that are more electronegative than itself, illustrating exceptions to the typical oxidation state patterns.

Electronegativity and Oxidation State Anomalies

The concept of electronegativity is central to understanding oxidation states, as electrons are assumed to be allocated to the more electronegative atom in a bond. When oxygen bonds with elements that have higher electronegativity, such as fluorine, the electron distribution is reversed compared to most compounds, leading to unusual oxidation states for oxygen. This deviation from the norm is a key example of how chemical context can influence assigned oxidation numbers.

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