EXPERIMENT: OXIDATION-REDUCTION REACTIONS

Oxidation-Reduction (RedOx) reactions are reactions that occur with the transfer of one or more
electrons. It corresponds to a change in the oxidation number of an element.

• Oxidation

- is the loss of electrons

- increase in oxidation number

- the substance oxidized is the reducing agent

• Reduction

- is the gain of electrons

- decrease in oxidation number

- the substance reduced is the oxidizing agent

The electrons “lost” in oxidation must always be “gained” in the simultaneous reduction of some
other species.

Oxidation Number of Common Elements

Grp IA 1+ Hg & Cu 1+, 2+

GrpIIA 2+ Au 1+, 3+

Grp IIIA 3+ Grp VIIA 1–

Zn 2+ H 1–

Ag & H 1+ S,O 2–

Fe, Cr, Mn, Co 2+ , 3+ N 3–

Sn, Pb 2+, 4+

Balancing RedOx Reactions

In a balanced equation, the numbers of atoms represented on the two sides of the arrow must
be equal, element by element, and the net electrical charge on the two sides must balance.
Balancing RedOx Reactions using Half-Reaction Method

1. Assign oxidation numbers to all atoms on both sides of the equation to determine which are
oxidized and which are reduced.

2. Write two unbalanced half-equations, one for the species that is oxidized and its product
and one for the species that is reduced and its product.

3. Insert coefficients to make the numbers of atoms of all elements (except oxygen and
hydrogen) equal on the two sides of the equation.

4. Balance oxygen by adding H2O to the left or right side of the half-equation.

5. Balance hydrogen by adding H+ ion(acidic sol’n) or OH-(basic sol’n) to the left or right side of
the half-equation as required.

6. Balance charge by inserting e- as a reactant in the reduction half-equation and as a product

in the oxidation half-equation.

7. Multiply the two half-equations by numbers chosen to make the number of electrons given
off by the oxidation equal to the number taken up by the reduction.

8. Add the two half-equations, cancelling electrons. If H+ ion, OH- ion or H2O appears on both
sides of the final equation, cancel out the duplication.

In the Experiment

1. Ten drops of chlorine water were added to 10 drops of 0.10 M potassium iodide followed by
the addition of 1 drop of starch solution.

KI(aq) + Cl2(aq) → KCl(aq) + I2(aq)

brown

In the water, there are Cl2 molecules and iodide ions so that chlorine replaces the iodide ion

2I-(aq) + Cl2(aq) → 2Cl-(aq) + I2(aq)

Halide ions are colorless in water, so the color you see is the iodine. Iodine is brown in
aqueous solution; hence, you see brown.

The addition of starch solution is an indicator used to confirm the presence of iodine in the
product. Iodine solution in the presence of starch indicator has a dark blue color.
starch

KI(aq) + Cl2(aq) → KCl(aq) + I2(aq)

solution

dark blue

Change in Change in
Element electrons Oxidizing Element Reducing
oxidation oxidation electrons lost
reduced gained agent oxidized agent
number number

Cl or Cl 2 0 to 1 – 1 electron Cl 2 I 1 – to 0 1 electron KI
2. An untarnished nail was added to 10 drops of 0.10M cupric sulfate solution. It was set aside
for 10 minutes and observations were made.

The solid iron replaced the copper ions in solution so that ferrous sulfate
solution is formed and solid copper was formed as rust on the surface of
the nail.

Fe(s) + CuSO4(aq) → FeSO4(aq) + Cu(s)

reddish brown
solid particles

Change in Change in
Element electrons Oxidizing Element Reducing
oxidation oxidation electrons lost
reduced gained agent oxidized agent
number number

Cu 2+ to 0 2 electrons CuSO 4 Fe 0 to 2+ 2 electrons Fe

3. Two drops of 6M sulfuric acid were added to 10 drops of 0.01 M potassium permanganate
solution. Drop by drop 0.10 M sodium bisulfite solution was added until a definite color
change was observed.

4KMnO4(aq) + H2SO4(aq) + 10NaHSO3(aq) → 4MnSO4(aq) + 2K2SO4(aq) + 5Na2SO4(aq) + 6H2O(l)

Under acidic conditions, KMnO4 containing Mn7+, acts as an oxidizing agent. It caused the
NaHSO3 containing S4- to be oxidized. The reaction gives a colorless to faint pink solution.

4KMnO4(aq) + H2SO4(aq) + 10NaHSO3(aq) → 4MnSO4(aq) + 2K2SO4(aq) + 5Na2SO4(aq) + 6H2O(l)

colorless

Change in Change in
Element electrons Oxidizing Element Reducing
oxidation oxidation electrons lost
reduced gained agent oxidized agent
number number

Mn +7 to +2 5 electrons KMnO4 S +4 to +6 2 electrons NaHSO3

4. Two drops of 6M sodium hydroxide were added to 10 drops of 0.01 M potassium
permanganate solution. Drop by drop 0.10 M sodium bisulfite solution was added until a
definite color change was observed.

2KMnO4(aq) + NaOH(aq) + 3NaHSO3(aq) → 2MnO2(s) + K2SO4(aq) + 2Na2SO4(aq) + 2H2O(l)

Under neutral to slightly basic conditions, KMnO4 containing Mn7+, acts as a strong oxidizing
agent. It caused the NaHSO3 containing S4- to be oxidized. The reaction gives a brown MnO2
precipitate.

2KMnO4(aq) + NaOH(aq) + 3NaHSO3(aq) → 2MnO2(s) + K2SO4(aq) + 2Na2SO4(aq) + 2H2O(l)

brown precipitate

Change in Change in
Element electrons Oxidizing Element Reducing
oxidation oxidation electrons lost
reduced gained agent oxidized agent
number number

Mn +7 to +4 3 electrons KMnO4 S +4 to +6 2 electrons NaHSO3

5. Ten drops of 0.10 M potassium iodide were placed in a test tube. It was then added with 10
drops of 0.10 M ferric nitrate solution and 5 drops of chloroform. It was stoppered, shaken
and observed of color changes.
CHCl3
KI(aq) + Fe (NO3)3(aq) → Fe(NO3)2(aq) + KNO3(aq) + I2(s)
dissolves in CHCl3
turning blue
The ferric ions in the ferric nitrate solution oxidizes the I- ions to produce iodine atoms (then
iodine molecules. The chloroform is not part of the reaction but is added to dissolve the iodine
produced.

Change in Change in
Element electrons Oxidizing Element Reducing
oxidation oxidation electrons lost
reduced gained agent oxidized agent
number number

Fe +3 to +2 1electron Fe(NO3)3 I 1- to 0 1 electron KI