8

Oxidation, reduction
and redox equations
●● TEST YOURSELF ON PRIOR KNOWLEDGE 1
1 Sulfur gains oxygen and the gain of oxygen is oxidation.
2 Chlorine gains hydrogen and the gain of hydrogen is reduction.
3 a) Magnesium loses electrons and the loss of electrons is oxidation.
b) Copper ions gain electrons and the gain of electrons is reduction.

●● TEST YOURSELF 2
1 a) +5
b) +4
c) +1
d) −3
e) −3
2 a) +4
b) +2
c) +6
d) −2
f) +6
3 Na2Cr2O7; BaFeO4; K2MnO4
4 a) 0
b) +3
c) +5
d) +5 1
e) −3
5 +3; +4; +5; +6; +7
 ●● TEST YOURSELF 3
1 +6
2 NaClO4
3 magnesium stannate(iv)
4 a) 3
b) 1
c) 3
d) 4
e) 4

●● TEST YOURSELF 4
1 a) N changes from −3 in NH3 to +2 in NO
Increase in oxidation state is oxidation
O changes from 0 in O2 to −2 in NO and H2O
Decrease in oxidation state is reduction
OXIDATION, REDUCTION AND REDOX EQUATIONS

Redox is oxidation and reduction occurring simultaneously in the

same reaction
b) I changes from −1 in HI to 0 in I2
Increase in oxidation state is oxidation
S changes from +6 in H2SO4 to 0 in S
Decrease in oxidation state is reduction
Redox is oxidation and reduction occurring simultaneously in the
same reaction
c) Br changes from −1 in NaBr to 0 in Br2
Increase in oxidation state is oxidation
Cl changes from 0 in Cl2 to −1 in NaCl
Decrease in oxidation state is reduction
8

Redox is oxidation and reduction occurring simultaneously in the

same reaction

2 a) Hydrogen changes from 0 in H2 to +1 in H2O

2
Increase in oxidation state is oxidation
b) Sodium changes from 0 in Na to +1 in Na2O
Increase in oxidation state is oxidation
3 No changes in oxidation state
●● TEST YOURSELF 5

TEST YOURSELF 7
1 N changes from −3 in NH3 to 0 in N2
Increase in oxidation state is oxidation
Cu changes from +2 in CuO to 0 in Cu
Decrease in oxidation state is reduction
Redox is oxidation and reduction occurring simultaneously in the same reaction
2 Ag changes from 0 in Ag to +1 in AgNO3
Increase in oxidation state is oxidation
N changes from +5 in HNO3 to +2 in NO
Decrease in oxidation state is reduction
Redox is oxidation and reduction occurring simultaneously in the same
reaction
3 Cl2, 0; HCl, −1; HOCl, +1
4 a) +4; +7; +6; +2
b) MnO4–

●● TEST YOURSELF 6
1 a) Br2 + 2e− → 2Br−
b) Zn → Zn2+ + 2e−
c) Fe → Fe3+ + 3e−
2 a) VO+2 + 2H+ + e− → VO2+ + H2O
b) VO2+ + 2H+ + e− → V3+ + H2O
c) SO2-
4 + 4H + 2e → SO2 + 2H2O
+ −

d) Cr3+ + 4H2O → CrO2–

4 + 8H + 3e
+ −

e) NO–3 + 4H+ + 3e− → NO + 2H2O

f) Cl2 + 2H2O → 2OCl− + 4H+ + 2e−

●● TEST YOURSELF 7
1 a) CH3CH(OH)CH3 + [O] → CH3COCH3 + H2O
b) CH3OH + 2[O] → HCOOH + H2O 3

c) CH3CH2CH2CH2OH + [O] → CH3CH2CH2CHO + H2O

2 a) CH3COCH2CH3 + 2[H] → CH3CH(OH)CH2CH3
b) CH3CHO + 2[H] → CH3CH2OH
c) CH3CH2COOH + 2[H] → CH3CH2CHO + H2O
3 CH3CH(OH)CH2CH2CH3 + H2O → CH3COCH2CH2CH3 + 4H+ + 4e−
 ●● TEST YOURSELF 8
1 2H2O2 + N2H4 → N2 + 4H2O
2 H2O2 +2H+ + 2I− → I2 + 2H2O
3 Cl− + 2OH− + 2HBrO + 2H+ → Br2 + 3H2O + ClO−
or
Cl− + 2HBrO → Br2 + H2O + ClO−
4 2MnO–4 + 16H+ + 5C2O2-
4 → 2Mn
2+ + 8H O + 10CO
2 2

●● ACTIVITY
Redox reactions in photochromic glass
1 AgCl → Ag+ + Cl−
2 Moles of = 0.287/143.4 = 0.00200
Mass of silver ions = 0.00200 × 107.9 = 0.2160 g
3 Cl− → Cl + e− The oxidation state of chlorine in chloride ions is −1.
The oxidation state of chlorine atoms is 0. The reaction is an
OXIDATION, REDUCTION AND REDOX EQUATIONS

oxidation reaction because the oxidation state has increased.

4 Ag+ +e− → Ag. The silver ions gain electrons to form silver atoms.
Gain of electrons is reduction.
5 The chlorine atoms may combine and produce molecules of chlorine
gas Cl2.
6 Cu+ + Cl → Cu2+ + Cl−
Copper changes in oxidation state from +1(in Cu+) to +2 (in Cu2+) .
This is an increase in oxidation state and so it is oxidised.
Chlorine changes in oxidation state from 0 (in Cl) to −1 (in Cl−). This is
a decrease in oxidation state and so it is reduced.
7 Cu2+ + Ag → Ag+ + Cu+
Copper changes in oxidation state from +2 (in Cu2+) to +1 (in Cu+).
This is a decrease in oxidation state and so it is reduced.
Silver changes in oxidation state from 0 (in Ag) to +1 (in Ag+). This is an
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increase in oxidation state and so it is oxidised.

8 Goggles and gloves when using concentrated acid.

4 9 The oxidation number of copper changes from +2 (in CuO) to +1
(in CuCl). This is a decrease in oxidation state so it is reduced. The
oxidation state of copper changes from 0 (in Cu) to +1 (in CuCl). This
is an increase in oxidation state so it is oxidised. It is a disproportionation
reaction because the same element (Cu) is oxidised and reduced in the
same reaction.
10 Copper(I) chloride is insoluble in water.
11 Decanting separates the insoluble solid from the water. It means to pour off
the liquid, leaving the insoluble copper(I) chloride behind in the beaker.