Work of Hamza (Mathemagician) Topic 1.

5
Topic 1.5: Introduction to oxidation and reduction
Things to learn: -
Oxidation occurs when a substance oses one or more eectrons. There is an
increase in the o!i"ation number of the eements in#o#e".
An oxidising agent is a substance that o!i"ises another substance so is itsef
re"uce". The haf e$uation in#o#ing an o!i"ising agent has eectrons on the
eft-han" si"e% i.e. it takes eectrons from the substance being o!i"ise".
Reduction occurs when a substance gains one or more eectrons. There is a
"ecrease in the o!i"ation number of the eement in#o#e".
A reducing agent is a substance that re"uces another substance an" so is itsef
o!i"ise". The haf e$uation in#o#ing a re"ucing agent has eectrons on the
right-han" si"e% i.e it gi#es eectrons to the substance being re"uce".
&&& remember OIL RIG (O!i"ation Is Loss% Re"uction Is Gain)&&&
Oxidation numbers
The o!i"ation number is the charge on an atom of the eement in a compoun"
cacuate" assuming that a the atoms in the compoun" are simpe monatomic
ions. The more eectronegati#e eement is gi#en an o!i"ation number of -1 per
bon".
There are some rues for cacuating o!i"ation numbers. The' shou" be
appie" in the foowing or"er:
1. The o!i"ation number of an uncombine" eement is zero
(. ) simpe monatomic ion has an o!i"ation number e$ua to its
charge
*. The o!i"ation number of +roup 1 metas is awa's ,1% an" of
group ( metas% ,(.
-. .uorine awa's has an o!i"ation number of -1% h'"rogen (e!cept
in metaic h'"ri"es) of ,1% an" o!'gen (e!cept in .
(
/ an"
pero!i"es) of -(.
5. The sum of the o!i"ation umbers in a moecue a""s up to 0% an"
those in a po'atomic ion (such as 1/
-
(-
) a"" up to the charge on
the ion.
When an eement is o!i"ise"% its o!i"ation number increases.
Hal e!uations
These are written:
2ither as re"uction with eectrons on the eft han" si"e of the haf e$uation: -
e.g. 3
(
, (e
-
(3
-
Here% the chorine is being re"uce" an" so is acting as an o!i"ising
agent
/r as o!i"ation with eectrons on the right han" si"e of the e$uation:
e.g. .e
(,
.e
*,
, e
-
Here% iron(44) ions are being o!i"ise"% an" thus are acting as a re"ucing
agent.
Work of Hamza (Mathemagician) Topic 1.5
Man' o!i"ising agents on' work in aci" soution. Their haf e$uations ha#e
H
,
ions on the eft han" si"e an" H
(
/ on the right. This is ike' with o!i"ising
agents containing o!'gen (such as Mn/
-
-
):
e.g. Mn/
-
-
, 5H
,
, 5e
-
Mn
(,
, -H
(
/
4f a re"o! s'stem is in akaine soution% /H
-
ma' nee" to be on one si"e an"
H
(
/ on the other:
e.g. 3r
*,
, 5/H
-
3r/
-
(-
, -H
(
/ , *e
-
O"erall redox e!uations
These are obtaine" b' a""ing the haf e$uations together
/ne haf e$uation must be written as a re"uction (eectrons on the eft) an" the
other as an o!i"ation ( eectrons on the right)
When the' are a""e"% the eectrons must cance. To achie#e this% it ma' be
necessar' to mutip' one or both haf e$uations b' integers.
e.g. .or the o#era e$uation for o!i"ation of .e(, ions b' Mn/-- ions:
a"" Mn/
-
-
, 5H
,
, 5e
-
Mn
(,
, -H
(
/
to 5 ! .e
(,
.e
*,
, e
-
Mn/
-
-
, 5H
,
, 5.e
(,
Mn
(,
, -H
(
/ , 5.e
*,
- Mathemagician