Extract Page - Redox Reaction

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1.6 Electrochemistry YOUR NOTES


1.6.1 Oxidation Number Rules
Oxidation Numbers
The oxidation numbers (also known as oxidation state) is a number given to each
atom or ion in a compound to keep track of how many electrons they have
In a single ion or molecular ion, the oxidation number tells us how many electrons
have been lost or gained
Positive oxidation number = loss of electrons
Negative oxidation number = gain of electrons
Oxidation number rules
The oxidation number (ox.no.) refers to a single atom in a compound
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YOUR NOTES

Worked example: Deducing oxidation numbers
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YOUR NOTES

Answer
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YOUR NOTES

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1.6.2 Redox Reactions YOUR NOTES


Balancing Redox Reactions
Oxidation numbers can be used to balance chemical equations
Roman numerals between brackets are used to show the ox. no. of an atom that
can have multiple oxidation states, eg:
Fe(III) = iron with ox. no. +3
Worked example: Writing overall redox reactions
Answer
Step 1: Write the unbalanced equation and identify the atoms which change in ox.
no.
Step 2: Deduce the ox.no. changes
Step 3: Balance the ox.no. changes
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YOUR NOTES

Step 4: Balance the charges
Step 5: Balance the atoms
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Redox & Disproportionation Reactions YOUR NOTES

Oxidation 
Oxidation is the gain of oxygen, eg:
Cu + H2O → CuO + H2
(Cu has gained an oxygen and is oxidised)

Oxidation is also the loss of a hydrogen, eg:
2NH3 + 3Br2 → N 2 + 6HBr
(N has lost a hydrogen and is oxidised)

Oxidation is also the loss of electrons, eg:
Cu2+ → Mg → Mg 2+ + Cu
(Mg has lost two electrons and is oxidised)

Oxidation causes an increase in ox. no., eg:
Cu2+ + Mg → Mg 2+ + Cu
(change in ox. no. of Mg is +2 thus Mg is oxidised)

Reduction
Reduction is the loss of oxygen, eg:
Cu+ H2O → 2CuO + H2
(O has been reduced)

Reduction is also the gain of a hydrogen, eg:
2NH3+ 3Br2 → N 2 + 6HBr
(Br has been reduced)

Reduction is also the gain of electrons, eg:
Cu2+ + Mg → Mg 2+ + Cu
(Cu has been reduced)

Reduction causes a decrease in oxidation number, eg:
Cu2+ + Mg → Mg 2+ + Cu
(change in ox. no. of Cu is -2 thus Cu is reduced)
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YOUR NOTES

Use the acronym "Oil Rig" to help you remember the definitions of oxidation and
reduction
Redox reactions
Redox reactions are reactions in which oxidation and reduction take place together
While one species is oxidising, another is reducing in the same reaction, eg:
Cu2++ Mg → Mg 2+ + Cu
(Cu has been reduced and Mg has been oxidised)

Worked example: Oxidation and reduction
Answer
Answer 1:
Oxidised: Cl- as the ox. no. has increased by 1

Reduced: Na+ as the ox. no. has decreased by 1
Answer 2:
Oxidised: Mg as the ox. no. has increased by 2

Reduced: Fe2+ as the ox. no. has decreased by 2
Answer 3:
Oxidised: C as it has gained oxygen

Reduced: Ag as it has lost oxygen
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Disproportionation reactions YOUR NOTES

A disproportionation reaction is a reaction in which the same species is both 
oxidised and reduced
Example of a disproportion reaction in which the same species (chlorine in this case)
has been both oxidised and reduced
Worked example: Balancing disproportionation reactions
Answer
Step 1: Write the unbalanced equation and identify the atoms that change in ox.
no.
Step 2: Deduce the ox. no. changes
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Step 3: Balance the ox. no. changes YOUR NOTES


Step 4: Balance the charges
Step 5: Balance the atoms
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1.6.3 Oxidising & Reducing Agents YOUR NOTES


Oxidising & Reducing Agents
Oxidising agent
An oxidising agent is a substance that oxidises another atom or ion by causing it
to lose electrons
An oxidising agent itself gets reduced – gains electrons
Therefore, the ox. no. of the oxidising agent decreases
Example of an oxidising agent in a chemical reaction
Reducing agent
A reducing agent is a substance that reduces another atom or ion by causing it to
gain electrons
A reducing agent itself gets oxidised – loses/donates electrons
Therefore, the ox. no. of the reducing agent increases
Example of a reducing agent in a chemical reaction
For a reaction to be recognised as a redox reaction, there must be both an

oxidising and reducing agent
Some substances can act both as oxidising and reducing agents
Their nature is dependent upon what they are reacting with and the reaction
conditions
Worked Example: Oxidising & reducing agents
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YOUR NOTES

Answer
Oxidising agents are substances that oxidise other species, gain electrons and are
themselves reduced.
Write down the oxidation numbers of each species in the reaction
In equation B, Fe2+ oxidises Mg(0) to Mg2+(+2) and is itself reduced from Fe2+(+2)
to Fe(0)
Roman numerals
Roman numerals are used to show the oxidation states of transition metals which
can have more than one oxidation number
Iron can be both +2 and +3 so Roman numerals are used to distinguish between
them
Fe2+ in FeO can be written as Iron(II) oxide
Fe3+ in Fe 2O3 can be written as Iron(III) oxide
Worked example: Systematic names of compounds
Answer
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Answer 1: Iron(II) chloride: ox. no. of 2 Cl atoms is -2 and FeCl2 has overall no YOUR NOTES
charge so ox. no. of Fe is +2 
Answer 2: Chloric(VII) acid: ox. no. of H is +1, 4 O atoms is -8 and HClO4 has
overall no charge so ox. no. of Cl is +7
Answer 3: Nitrogen(IV) oxide: ox. no. of 2 O atoms is -4 and NO2 has overall no
charge so ox. no. of N is +4
Answer 4: Magnesium nitrate: this is a salt of the common acid, so they are named
without including the ox. no. of the non-metal
Answer 5: Potassium sulfate: this is a salt of the common acid, so they are named
without including the ox. no. of the non-metal
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1.6 Electrochemistry YOUR NOTES

Page 184 of 275

Worked example: Deducing oxidation numbers

Page 185 of 275

Page 186 of 275

Page 187 of 275

1.6.2 Redox Reactions YOUR NOTES

Worked example: Writing overall redox reactions

Step 2: Deduce the ox.no. changes

Step 3: Balance the ox.no. changes

Page 188 of 275

Step 4: Balance the charges

Step 5: Balance the atoms

Page 189 of 275

Redox & Disproportionation Reactions YOUR NOTES

(Cu has gained an oxygen and is oxidised)

(N has lost a hydrogen and is oxidised)

(Mg has lost two electrons and is oxidised)

(change in ox. no. of Mg is +2 thus Mg is oxidised)

(O has been reduced)

(Br has been reduced)

(Cu has been reduced)

(change in ox. no. of Cu is -2 thus Cu is reduced)

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(Cu has been reduced and Mg has been oxidised)

Oxidised: Cl- as the ox. no. has increased by 1

Oxidised: Mg as the ox. no. has increased by 2

Oxidised: C as it has gained oxygen

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Disproportionation reactions YOUR NOTES

Worked example: Balancing disproportionation reactions

Step 2: Deduce the ox. no. changes

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Step 3: Balance the ox. no. changes YOUR NOTES

Step 4: Balance the charges

Step 5: Balance the atoms

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1.6.3 Oxidising & Reducing Agents YOUR NOTES

Example of an oxidising agent in a chemical reaction

Example of a reducing agent in a chemical reaction

For a reaction to be recognised as a redox reaction, there must be both an

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Worked example: Systematic names of compounds

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