CHAPTER 8:

REDOX REACTIONS
 LESSON OUTCOME

Upon completion this lesson, you will be able to :

1. Determine the oxidation number of any element in
a compound
2. Identify the oxidizing and reducing agents in a
redox reactions
3. Balancing redox equations in acidic and basic
medium
4. Identify characteristics and examples of redox
reactions
 REDOX REACTION

 Reduction and oxidation reactions occur

simultaneously
 A redox reaction involves the changes
in oxidation number (or oxidation
states) of elements in the reactants and
products
 Redox reaction can also be defined as
reaction involving transfer of electron
 OXIDATION REDUCTION

Loss of electrons by a Gain of electrons by a

substance substance

Increase in oxidation Decrease in oxidation

number number
Example

2Mg(s) + O2(g) 2MgO(s)

 MgO is an ionic compound made up of Mg2+

and O2- ions

 This process involved two separate steps,

loss and gain electrons
 2Mg 2Mg2+ + 4e-
O2 + 4e- 2O2-

 The loss of four electrons by the two Mg

atoms the other being the gain of four
electrons by an O2 molecule

 Each of these steps is called a half-

reaction, which explicitly shows the
electrons involved in a redox reaction
In the formation of MgO:

 Magnesium is oxidized, act as a reducing

agent = it donates electrons to oxygen and
causes oxygen to be reduced

 Oxygen is reduced, act as an oxidizing

agent = it accepts electrons from Mg,
causing Mg to be oxidized
 OXIDATION NUMBER (O.N)

 Each atom in a molecule (or ionic

compound) is assigned an oxidation
number or oxidation states

 Oxidation number, signifies the number of

charges the atom would have in a
molecule (ionic compound) if electrons
were transferred completely.
Exercise 1

Determine the O.N. of each element:

1.Cr in CrCl3 → +3

+6
2.Cr in Cr2O7 2-
→
+5
3.N in NO3- →
+1
4.Cl in HClO →
Exercise 2

Determine the oxidation numbers of each

underlined element in the following
compounds or ions:

1.K2CrO4 = +6

2.HClO4 = +7
+6
3.MnO42- =
+5
4.IO3- =
OXIDIZING & REDUCING AGENT

 Reducing agent
The species which act as an electron
donor (being oxidized itself)

 Oxidizing agent
The species which act as an electron
acceptor (being reduced)
Exercise 3

Identify the oxidizing agent and reducing agent

in each of the following:-

2Al (s) + 3H2SO4 → Al2(SO4)3 + 3H2 (g)

0 +1 +3 0
oxidation
reduction
DISPROPORTIONATION REACTION

 A disproportionation reaction is one in

which a single substance is both oxidised
and reduced.
 Example 1

2NaOH + Cl2 NaCl + NaClO + H2O

 The chlorine is the only thing to have

changed oxidation state.
 Has it been oxidised or reduced?
Example 2 :

2CuCl → Cu + CuCl2
Cu : +1 Cu : 0 Cu : +2

 The reaction involves oxidation of one

molecule
CuI → CuII + e

 and reduction of the other

CuI + e → Cu
BALANCING REDOX REACTIONS

 There are two ways of balancing redox

reactions:-
1. Oxidation-number method
2. Ion-electron method/Half-reaction
method
a) in acidic solution
b) in basic solution
1) Oxidation-Number Method
Example

Step 1:
 Assign oxidation numbers to each element
Step 2:
 Identify the oxidized and reduced species

Oxidation: Sn was oxidized

The O.N. increased from
0 to +4

Reduction: HNO3
The O.N. decreased from
+5 to +4
Step 3:
 Compute number of electrons lost and gained

 Draw a tie-lines between the atoms

Step 4:
 Multiply these numbers (1 and 4) by
appropriate factors so that the electrons lost
equal the electrons gained and use the
factors as coefficients
 In this case the reduction step is multiplied
by 4 and put the coefficient 4 before HNO3
and NO2
Step 5:
 Complete the balancing
 In this case, balancing H atoms requires a
2 in front of H2O and we add states of
matter
 Add states of matter
 The balanced equation:
 Exercise 4

Use the oxidation number method to balance this

equations:

Cu(s) + HNO3(aq) → Cu(NO3)2(aq) + NO2(g) + H2O(l)

Cu(s) + 4HNO3(aq) → Cu(NO3)2(aq) + 2NO2(g) + 2H2O(l)

 2) Half-reaction Method

 Each half equation equations is

separately balanced and then both
equations are combined to obtain the
whole.

 May occur in:

(i) Acidic solution
(ii) Basic solution
 Five steps to follow:
Balancing Redox Equation In Acidic Solution

Step 1: Divide the reaction into half-reactions:

Determine the O.N.s for the species undergoing redox.
Step 2: Balance atoms and charges in each half-reaction:

For the Cr2O72-/Cr3+ half-reaction:

a. Balance atoms other than O and H.
Cr2O72- → 2Cr3+
b. Balance O atoms by adding H2O molecules
Cr2O72- → 2Cr3+ + 7H2O
c. Balance H atoms by adding H+ ions
14H+ + Cr2O72- → 2Cr3+ + 7H2O
d. Balance charge by adding electrons
6e- + 14H+ + Cr2O72- → 2Cr3+ + 7H2O
For the I-/I2 half-reaction:
a. Balance atoms other than O and H.
2I- → I2

b. Balance O atoms by adding H2O molecules

Not needed: There are no O atoms

c. Balance H atoms by adding H+ ions

Not needed: There are no H atoms

d. Balance charge by adding electrons

2I- → I2 + 2e-
Step 3: Multiply each half-reaction by an integer:

Step 4: Add the half-reactions together, canceling

substances that appear on both sides.
Step 5: Check that atoms and charges balance:

.
Balancing Redox Equation In Basic Solution

Only one additional step is needed to balance redox

reaction in basic solution:

Step 4 Basic:
Add one OH- ion to both sides of the equation for
every H+ present
 The OH- ions on one side are combined with H+ to
form H2O
OH- ions appear on the other side of equation
Excess H2O are canceled
Step 1 and 2:
Step 3:

Step 4:

4
Step 4 basic:
 Add OH- to both sides to neutralize H+ and cancel
H2 O
 Adding four OH- to both sides forms four H2O on the
right
 Two H2O cancel two H2O on the left leaving two H2O
on the right
4

Step 5:

4
 Exercise 5

Write a balanced ionic equation to represent

the oxidation of iodide ion (I -) by
permanganate ion (MnO4-) in basic solution

to yield molecular iodine (I2) and manganese

(IV) oxide (MnO2).

2MnO4- + 6I- + 4H2O → 2MnO2+ 3I2 + 8OH-

REDOX TITRATION
TYPES OF REDOX REACTIONS

The most common redox reactions are

1. Combination
2. Decomposition
3. Combustion
4. Displacement
 Combination Reaction
 A combination reaction is a reaction in
which two or more substances combine to
form a single product.

 Example:

S(s) + O2(g) → SO2(g)

2Al(s) + 2Br2(l) → 2AlBr3(s)

 Decomposition Reaction

 Decomposition reaction is the breakdown

of a compound into two or more
components.

 Examples:

2HgO(s) → 2Hg(l) + O2(g)

2NaH(s) → 2Na(s) + H2(g)

 Combustion Reaction

 A combustion reaction is a reaction in

which a substance reacts with oxygen
usually with the release of heat and light
to produce a flame.

 Example:
C3H8(g) + 5O2(g) → 3CO2(g) + 4H2O(l)
LPG, a mixture of
propane and butane, is
usually used in a kitchen.
It is rapid oxidation; that
is, rapid combustion,
which releases heat and
light energy. In this case,
Butane and Propane are
reducing agent and
Oxygen in the
atmosphere is the
oxidizing agent. And the
reaction (redox) releases
Carbon dioxide and water
vapour. 
 Displacement Reaction

 In a displacement reaction, an ion (or

atom) in a compound is replaced by an ion
(or atom) of another element.

 Three sub-categories:
a) Hydrogen displacement
b) Metal displacement
c) Halogen displacement