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Electrochemistry
Electrochemistry
Aside: You may have heard the phrase: "LEO the lion says GER "
where LEO stands for "Loss of Electrons is Oxidation" and
GER stands for "Gain of Electrons is Reduction".
OR
OIL RIG – where "OIL" stands for "Oxidation Is Loss (of
electrons)" and "RIG" stands for "Reduction Is Gain (of electrons)"
“LEORA GEROA”
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Examples: Assign Oxidation Numbers (or States) to all the atoms in the following: NOTES:
CO2 NH3
Cr2O72– C2H6O
LiH C2H4O2
S4O62– I3 –
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Example 1 : MnO4– (aq) + Fe2+(aq) → Fe3+(aq) + Mn2+(aq) in acid solution. NOTES:
Oxidation numbers: Mn in MnO4– is ___, in Mn2+ it is ____; Fe2+ is +2, Fe3+ is +3
(step 3)
(step 4)
(step 5)
(steps 4)
(steps 5,6)
(step 3)
(step 4)
(steps 5,6)
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Add:
5H2O(l) + NO2–(aq) + 8OH– (aq) + 2Al(s) → NH3(g) + 7OH–(aq) + 2AlO2–(aq) + 4H2O(l)
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Answers for Balancing Practice (page 70):
To determine oxidation numbers for CNS– (aq) use your knowledge of electronegativity:
Assign S (same group as O) as –2 and therefore C+N = +1. To get a sum of +1, C = +4 & N = –3
works (These assignments are based on which element is more electronegative. But, one can also
assign C = –4 & N = +5 and end up with the correct balanced equation at the end.)
Also, in this example, more than one element is being oxidized (i.e., both N & S). Just put them all in
the same half reaction and sum up the total number of electrons lost, to get the complete half reaction,
i.e.,
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