What is the charge of O 2 ?

Question

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Answer 1

Answer
Dioxygen gas, $O_{2}$ , the stuff we are breathing now...is NEUTRAL.....
Explanation :
Oxygen can form oxides upon REDUCTION........
$\frac{1}{2} O_{2} (g) + 2 e^{-} \to O^{2 -}$ ...and since oxygen is a powerful oxidant this reaction is facile. On the other hand, we could form peroxides....i.e. salts of $O_{2}^{2 -}$ ....where each oxygen atom is associated with 9 electrons rather than 8...
$O_{2} (g) + 2 e^{-} \to^{-} O - O^{-}, i . e^{-} - O^{-} = O_{2}^{2 -}$

Answer 2

Answer
Dioxygen gas,

O_{2}

, the stuff we are breathing now...is NEUTRAL.....
Explanation :
Oxygen can form oxides upon REDUCTION........

\frac{1}{2} O_{2} (g) + 2 e^{-} \to O^{2 -}

...and since oxygen is a powerful oxidant this reaction is facile. On the other hand, we could form peroxides....i.e. salts of

O_{2}^{2 -}

....where each oxygen atom is associated with 9 electrons rather than 8...

O_{2} (g) + 2 e^{-} \to^{-} O - O^{-}, i . e^{-} - O^{-} = O_{2}^{2 -}