REDOX REACTIONS

WHAT CHARACTERIZES REDOX REACTIONS?

Oxidation - there is an increase in oxidation number

and corresponds to the loss of electrons

Reduction - there is an decrease in oxidation number

and corresponds to the gain of electrons
OXIDATION NUMBER/OXIDATION STATE

keeps track of electron transfers

assigned according to an arbitrary set of rules

RULES FOR ASSIGNING OXIDATION NUMBERS

The ON of the atoms in any free, uncombined element is

ZERO.

Examples: H2, O2, O3, P4 and S8

RULES FOR ASSIGNING OXIDATION NUMBERS

The ON of an element in a simple (monoatomic) ion is

equal to the charge on the ion

Examples: Na+ = +1
O2- = -2
RULES FOR ASSIGNING OXIDATION NUMBERS

The sum of the oxidation numbers of all atoms in a

compound is zero

Examples: NaCl – sum of ON is zero

RULES FOR ASSIGNING OXIDATION NUMBERS

In a polyatomic ion, the sum of the ONs of the

constituent atoms is equal to the charge on the ion

Examples: OH- = sum of ONs is -1

RULES FOR ASSIGNING OXIDATION NUMBERS

Fluorine has an ON of -1 in its compounds

Hydrogen has an ON of +1 in compounds unless it is

combined with metals, in which case it has an ON of -1
Examples: NaH, CaH2
RULES FOR ASSIGNING OXIDATION NUMBERS

Oxygen usually has an ON of -2 in its compounds. There are some

exceptions:
a.oxygen has an ON of -1 in peroxides (O22-)
example: H2O2
b.oxygen has an ON of -½ in superoxides (O2-)
example: KO2
c. when combined with fluorine in OF2, oxygen has an ON of +2
MNEMONIC

LEORA
Lost Electrons, Oxidized; Reducing Agent

GEROA
Gained Electrons, Reduced; Oxidizing Agent
EXERCISE
Determine the ONs of all atoms:
1.Pb2+ 6. Cr2O72-
2.MgCl2 7. SO2
3.HNO2 8. SO42-
4.HCO3- 9. S8
5.Li2O2 10. Mg(OH)2
EXERCISE:
IDENTIFYING OXIDIZING AND REDUCING AGENTS
LEORA
GEROA

H2O2 + 2Fe2+ + 2H+  2Fe3+ + 2H2O

2NO2 + 7H2  2NH3 + 4H2O

BALANCING REDOX REACTIONS

Balanced equations must satisfy these two criteria

There must be mass balance

There must be charge balance

BALANCING REDOX REACTIONS

Two ways of balancing

Half-reaction or ion-electron method

Change-in-oxidation-number (CON) method

BALANCING USING CON METHOD
1. Determine the atoms that change in ON and indicate the ON of these atoms on
both sides of the equation
2. Determine the number of electrons transferred per formula unit of reducing and
oxidizing agents
3. Adjust the coefficient of the reducing and oxidizing agents in order to make the
number of electrons lost and gained equal
4. Balance the elements that changed in ON by adjusting the coefficient of the subs
5. Balance the rest of the equation by inspection.
SAMPLE PROBLEM
Balance the reaction by CON method

𝐾2 𝐶𝑟2 𝑂7 + 𝑆 + 𝐻2 𝑂 → 𝑆𝑂2 + 𝐾𝑂𝐻 + 𝐶𝑟2 𝑂3

Answer:
2𝐾2 𝐶𝑟2 𝑂7 + 3𝑆 + 2𝐻2 𝑂 → 3𝑆𝑂2 + 4𝐾𝑂𝐻 + 2𝐶𝑟2 𝑂3
SAMPLE PROBLEM
Balance the reaction by CON method

𝐶𝑙𝑂3 − + 𝐶𝑙 − + 𝐻3 𝑂+ → 𝐻2 𝑂 + 𝐶𝑙2

Answer:
1𝐶𝑙𝑂3 − + 5𝐶𝑙 − + 6𝐻3 𝑂+ → 9𝐻2 𝑂 + 3𝐶𝑙2
SAMPLE PROBLEM
Balance the reaction by CON method

𝐾𝑀𝑛𝑂4 + 𝐻𝐶𝑙 + 𝐾𝐼 → 𝑀𝑛𝐶𝑙2 + 𝐼2 + 𝐾𝐶𝑙 + 𝐻2 𝑂

Answer:
2𝐾𝑀𝑛𝑂4 + 16𝐻𝐶𝑙 + 10𝐾𝐼 → 2𝑀𝑛𝐶𝑙2 + 5𝐼2 + 12𝐾𝐶𝑙 + 8𝐻2 𝑂