To calculate the n factor (also known as the equivalent factor or valence factor) of a compound like ferric sulfate, you need to consider the oxidation states of the elements involved.
Ferric sulfate is composed of the iron (Fe) cation with a +3 oxidation state and the sulfate (SO4) anion with a -2 charge. The formula for ferric sulfate is Fe2(SO4)3.
To determine the n factor of ferric sulfate, we need to identify the number of electrons gained or lost by one formula unit of the compound during a redox reaction.
In ferric sulfate, each Fe cation has a +3 charge. This means that during a redox reaction, one formula unit of ferric sulfate can lose 3 electrons to form Fe3+. Therefore, the n factor for Fe2(SO4)3 is 3.
It's important to note that the n factor represents the number of moles of electrons transferred or exchanged per mole of a compound during a redox reaction. It is used to balance redox equations and calculate stoichiometric quantities in redox reactions.