What is the charge of the metal ion in CuSO4?

The proper name for CuSO4 is copper(II) sulphate - the Roman numerals denote the oxidation state for any atom which has variable oxidation states, such as transition metals.

We could start from a knowledge that the sulphate ion has a 2- charge, so the copper ion must have a 2+ charge and hence a +2 oxidation number. We could substitute in the oxidation numbers of the sulphur and oxygen atoms, and apply the rule that:

 The Charge On The Compound is 0.

Oxidation Number Of Oxygen is -2.

Oxidation Number Of Sulphur is +6.

So (4 x -2) + 6 = -2 so the copper must be +2.

Oxidation Number Of Cu in Copper Sulphate is +2.

You may like