Chemistry 1

Volume 4

Worksheet 2
Writing Half-Reactions for Redox – Part 1

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1. Assign oxidation numbers to the atoms in the following redox reaction.

2 Sr (s) + O2 (g) à 2 SrO (s)

2. Assign oxidation numbers to the atoms in the following redox reaction.

2 Cs (s) + Br2 (g) à 2 CsBr (s)

3. Complete the half-reactions below and determine if oxidation or reduction has occurred.

a. Fe à Fe3+

b. Mg2+ à Mg

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4. Answer the questions that follow about the redox reaction below.
Li (s) à Li+ + e-
Zn2+ + 2 e- à Zn (s)

a. In which half reaction does oxidation occur?

b. Identify the oxidizing and reducing agents.

c. Balance the half reactions.

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5. Break the following redox reaction into its corresponding reduction and oxidation half-
reaction. Make sure they’re balanced.

4 Fe (s) + 3 O2 (g) à 2 Fe2O3 (s)

6. Break the following reaction into its oxidation and reduction half-reactions and balance
them.
2 Al + 6 H+ à 2 Al3+ + 3 H2

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7. Add the following half-reactions together to determine the overall ionic form of the redox
reaction. Label the reduction and oxidation half-reactions and make sure they’re balanced.
Cu0 à Cu2+ + 2 e-
Ag+ + e- à Ag0

8. Add the following half-reactions together to determine the overall ionic form of the redox
reaction. Label the reduction and oxidation half-reactions and make sure they’re balanced.
Li à Li+ + e-
Ni2+ + 2 e- à Ni

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9. Balance the following half-reactions and then combine them into an overall ionic form.
Cr à Cr3+ + 3 e-
Ag+ + e- à Ag

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 Answer Key
1. Assign oxidation numbers to the atoms in the following redox reaction.

2 Sr (s) + O2 (g) à 2 SrO (s)

Sr (s) is the elemental form of Sr, so it has an oxidation number of 0. In SrO, it has a
charge of 2+.

O2 is the elemental form of oxygen, so it has a charge of 0. In SrO, it has a charge of 2-.

Correct answers:
Sr0 à Sr2+
O0 à O2-

2. Assign oxidation numbers to the atoms in the following redox reaction.

2 Cs (s) + Br2 (g) à 2 CsBr (s)

Correct answers:
Cs0 à Cs1+
Br0 à Br-

3. Complete the half-reactions below and determine if oxidation or reduction has occurred.
a. Fe à Fe3+
Fe à Fe3+ + 3e-
Since Fe has become more positive, it has lost 3 electrons and been oxidized.
Correct answer: Oxidation: Fe à Fe3+ + 3 e-

b. Mg2+ à Mg

Mg has gained two electrons and been reduced.

Mg2+ + 2 e- à Mg

Correct answer: Reduction: Mg2+ + 2 e- à Mg

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4. Answer the questions that follow about the redox reaction below.
Li (s) à Li+ + e-
Zn2+ + 2 e- à Zn (s)
a. In which half reaction does oxidation occur?

Li goes from a neutral charge (Li0) to a positive charge (Li+). It has lost one
electron and been oxidized.

Correct answer: oxidation half reaction: Li (s) à Li+ + e-

b. Identify the oxidizing and reducing agents.

Oxidizing agent: Zn2+
Reducing agent: Li0

c. Balance the half reactions.

There needs to be an equal number of electrons in the reduction and oxidation
reactions. There is only one electron in the Li reaction, while there are two
electrons in the Zn reaction. Multiply the Li reaction by 2 to balance the number
of electrons.
2 x [ Li (s) à Li+ + e- ]
Zn2+ + 2 e- à Zn (s)

Correct answer: 2 Li (s) à 2 Li+ + 2 e-

Zn2+ + 2 e- à Zn (s)

5. Break the following redox reaction into its corresponding reduction and oxidation half-
reaction. Make sure they’re balanced.

4 Fe (s) + 3 O2 (g) à 2 Fe2O3 (s)

Step 1:
Reduction: O2 + 2e- à 2 O2-
Oxidation: Fe à Fe3+ + 3e-

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 Step 2:
The electrons need to be balanced.

3 x [ O2 + 2e- à 2 O2- ] -------> 3 O2 + 6 e- à 6 O2-

2 x [ Fe à Fe3+ + 3e- ] --------> 2 Fe à 2 Fe3+ + 6 e-

Now the reactions are balanced in terms of electrons and atoms.

Correct answers:
Reduction: 3 O2 + 6 e- à 6 O2-
Oxidation: 2 Fe à 2 Fe3+ + 6 e-

6. Break the following reaction into its oxidation and reduction half-reactions and balance
them.
2 Al + 6 H+ à 2 Al3+ + 3 H2
Step 1:
Reduction: 2 H+ + 2 e- à H2
Oxidation: Al à Al3+ + 3e-

Step 2:
3 x [ 2 H+ + 2 e- à H2 ]
2 x [ Al à Al3+ + 3e-]

Correct answer:
Reduction: 6 H+ + 6 e- à 3 H2
Oxidation: 2 Al à 2 Al3+ + 6 e-

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7. Add the following half-reactions together to determine the overall ionic form of the redox
reaction. Label the reduction and oxidation half-reactions and make sure they’re balanced.
Cu0 à Cu2+ + 2 e-
Ag+ + e- à Ag0
Step 1:
Label the appropriate reaction.
Oxidation: Cu0 à Cu2+ + 2 e-
Reduction: Ag+ + e- à Ag0

Step 2:
Multiply by the correct coefficient to balance electrons.
Cu0 à Cu2+ + 2 e-
2 x [ Ag+ + e- à Ag0 ]

Cu0 à Cu2+ + 2 e-
2 Ag+ + 2 e- à 2 Ag0

Step 3:
Combine and cancel out common ions.
Cu0 + 2 Ag+ + 2 e- à Cu2+ + 2 e- + 2 Ag0

Correct answer: Cu0 + 2 Ag+ à Cu2+ + 2 Ag0

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8. Add the following half-reactions together to determine the overall ionic form of the redox
reaction. Label the reduction and oxidation half-reactions and make sure they’re balanced.
Li à Li+ + e-
Ni2+ + 2 e- à Ni
Step 1:
Identify the oxidation and reduction reactions.
Oxidation: Li à Li+ + e-
Reduction: Ni2+ + 2 e- à Ni

Step 2:
Multiply by the correct coefficient to balance the electrons.
2 x [ Li à Li+ + e- ]
Ni2+ + 2 e- à Ni

Step 3:
Combine and cancel electrons.
2 Li + Ni2+ + 2 e- à 2 Li+ + Ni + 2 e-

Correct answer: 2 Li + Ni2+ à 2 Li+ + Ni

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9. Balance the following half-reactions and then combine them into an overall ionic form.
Cr à Cr3+ + 3 e-
Ag+ + e- à Ag
Step 1:
Balance the electrons.
Cr à Cr3+ + 3 e-
3 x [ Ag+ + e- à Ag ]

Step 2:
Combine and cancel out the electrons.
Cr + 3 Ag+ + 3 e- à 3 Ag + Cr3+ + 3 e-

Correct answer: Cr + 3 Ag+ à 3 Ag + Cr3+

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