What is the oxidation state of the group 3A element in each of the following compounds? (a) NaBF4 (b) GaCl3 (c) TlCl (d) B2H6

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of oxidation states. The oxidation state (or oxidation number) of an element in a compound is a theoretical charge that an atom would have if all bonds to atoms of different elements were 100% ionic.
2. Step 2: Identify the known oxidation states of other elements in the compounds. For example, in NaBF4, sodium (Na) typically has an oxidation state of +1, and fluorine (F) typically has an oxidation state of -1.
3. Step 3: Apply the rule that the sum of oxidation states in a neutral compound is zero. For example, in NaBF4, the sum of the oxidation states of Na, B, and F must equal zero.
4. Step 4: Solve for the unknown oxidation state of the group 3A element in each compound. For example, in NaBF4, if Na is +1 and each F is -1, then the oxidation state of B can be found by setting up the equation: +1 + x + 4(-1) = 0, where x is the oxidation state of B.
5. Step 5: Repeat the process for each compound: (b) GaCl3, (c) TlCl, and (d) B2H6, using the known oxidation states of Cl (-1) and H (+1) to find the oxidation states of Ga, Tl, and B respectively.