Chemical Equations

Redox Reactions
(electron-transfer reactions)

Oxidation Number

Oxidation & Reduction

Balancing Redox Reactions

 Oxidation number(oxidation state)
# of e- lost, gained or unequally shared by the atom

“pseudocharge” assigned according to arbitrary rules . (rules p.436)

1. ON of an element in an elementary substance is zero

2. H ON = +1, except in metal hydrides NaH, CaH2 What is it?

3. O ON = -2 in most compounds, -1 in peroxides Na2O2 , +2 in OF2

4. ON of metallic elements in ionic compounds is positive.

5. Negative ON is assigned to the most electronegative element

in a covalent compound.
 Oxidation number. Calculation
?
Determine the ON of As in K 3AsO4 +1 -2
 ON 0 K 3AsO4
6. In a compound: i
i

As + (-2)x4 +(+1)x3 = 0 As = +5
?
-2
Determine the ON of Cr in Cr2O72-
Cr2O72-
7. In a PAI:  ON i  charge PAI
i

2Cr + (-2)x7 = -2 2Cr = +12 Cr = +6

 Oxidation & Reduction
Oxidation (lost of electrons)

ON
-7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Reduction (gain of electrons)

oxid. # H increases from 0 to +1 (oxidizes)

REDUCING AGENT
O2(g) + H2(g) 2H2O(l)
OXIDIZING AGENT

oxid. # O decreases from 0 to -2 (reduces)

 Balancing Redox Equations
 Oxidation number method

(Molecular redox equations)

Two Methods

 Ion-electron method

(Ionic redox equations)

 Oxidation number method
Oxidation

2KMnO4 + 6 HCl + 5H2S 2 KCl +2 MnCl2 +5 S + 8 H2O

+1 -2 +1 -1 +1 -2 +1 -1 -1 0
+7 +2

Reduction
Reduction: Mn+7 +5e- Mn+2 x 2

Oxidation: S-2 S0 + 2e- x 5

2Mn+7 + 5S-2 + 10e- 2Mn+2 + 5 S0 + 10e-

2Mn+7 + 5 S-2 2Mn+2 + 5 S0
Ion-electron method (rules p. 443-444)

Mass and charge must balance

 Acidic Medium H+(aq)

 Basic Medium OH-(aq)

Neutralization:

H+(aq) + OH-(aq) H2O(l)

 Ion-electron method (Acidic Medium)
KMnO4 + HCl + H2S KCl + MnCl2 + S + H2O

write the molecular equation in ionic form

K + (aq) + MnO4 - (aq) + H+ (aq) + Cl - (aq ) + 2H+ (aq) + S2-(aq) =

K + (aq) + Cl - (aq ) + Mn2+ (aq) + 2Cl - (aq ) ) + S0(s) + H2O

Eliminating spectator ions (appear in both sides of the equation)

Net ionic Equation Oxidation

MnO4 - (aq) + H+ (aq) + S2-(aq) Mn 2+ (aq) + S0 (s)

Reduction
 Write the two half reactions

Reduction: MnO4- + 8H+ + 5e- Mn+2 + 4H2O x 2

Oxidation: S-2 S0 + 2e- x5

2MnO4- + 16H+ + 5 S-2 2Mn+2 + 5S0 + 8H2O

 Balance elements other than O and H

 Balance O and H, acidic medium:

 Balance each half reaction electrically with electrons:

 Equalize loss and gain of e-
 Add the half equations
 Ion-electron method (Basic Medium)
Oxidation

SbO2 - (aq) + ClO2 (aq) Sb(OH)6 - (aq) + ClO2 - (aq)

Reduction

Write the two half reactions

Oxidation: SbO2 Sb(OH)6 -

Reduction: ClO2 ClO2 -

  Balance elements other than O and H
 Balance O and H, ACIDIC medium,
 NEUTRALIZE: add OH- in both sides of the equation

 Balance each half reaction electrically with electrons:

 Equalize loss and gain of e-

Oxidation: SbO2 - + 4H2O + 2OH- Sb(OH)6 - + 2OH- + 2H+

SbO2 - + 4H2O + 2OH- Sb(OH)6 - + 2H2O

SbO2 - + 2H2O + 2OH- Sb(OH)6 - + 2e-

Reduction: ClO2 + e- ClO2 - x 2

SbO2 - + 2OH - + 2H2O + 2ClO2 2ClO2 - + Sb(OH)6 -

Activity Series K K + + e-
Ba Ba+2 + 2e-
of Metals Ca Ca2+ + 2e-
(table 17.3) Na Na+ + e-
Mg Mg2+ + 2e-
Al Al3+ + 3e-
Zn Zn2+ + 2e-
Cr Cr3+ + 3e-
Fe Fe2+ + 2e-
Ni Ni2+ + 2e-
Sn Sn2+ + 2e-
Pb Pb2+ + 2e-
H2 2H + + 2e-
Cu Cu2+ + 2e-
As As3++ 3e-
Ag Ag + + e-
Hg Hg2++ 2e-
Au Au3+ + 3e-