SESERA PA

216140986
EXPERIMENT 3
SOME SIMPLE REDOX REACTIONS
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY 2
ND: CHEMICAL ENGINEERING (EXTENDED)
11 AUGUST 2017
MR MN MEI
Table of Contents
List of tables ........................................................................................................................................... i
1. Introduction.................................................................................................................................... 1
2. Aim.................................................................................................................................................. 1
3. Requirements................................................................................................................................ 1
4. Procedure ...................................................................................................................................... 1
4.1 Part A: Zinc solution .................................................................................................................. 1
4.2 Part B: Copper solution............................................................................................................. 2
4.3 Part C: Aluminium solution ....................................................................................................... 2
4.4 Part D: Magnesium solution ..................................................................................................... 2
4.5 Part E: Lead solution ................................................................................................................. 2
5. Results ........................................................................................................................................... 2
6. Discussion ..................................................................................................................................... 3
7. Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 3
8. Answers to questions................................................................................................................... 4
8.1 Ionic equations for reacted redox ............................................................................................ 4
9. References .................................................................................................................................... 6

List of tables
Table 1: Redox reactions ...................................................................................................... 2
Table 2: Colour change and reaction type ............................................................................. 3

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1. Introduction
The movement or transfer of electrons is central to our understanding of chemical
reactions. The study of the transfer of electrons from one reactant to another is the
study of electrochemistry. Electrons can move spontaneously from higher energy
levels to lower energy levels within an atom. A similar movement can take place
between two different chemical reactants. If there are electrons in one reactant that
are at higher energy than unfilled orbitals of the other reactant, the high energy
electrons can transfer to the unfilled orbitals at lower energy (Alevelsci, 2009). This
transfer of electrons from one chemical substance to another is known as
redox or electron transfer reaction.
Oxidation and reduction, the loss and gain of electrons, respectively, always come
paired with each other and explain how within a reaction the charge of an element can
change between when the element is a reactant and when the element is a product.
This transfer of electrons between elements provides the basis for bonds based on
electromagnetic attraction, most prominently in ionic compounds, which are always the
result of a redox reaction (Alevelsci, 2009).

2. Aim
To illustrate some redox chemistry by means of simple test tube reactions between
metals and salt solutions.
To determine the relative strengths of some oxidizing agents and reducing agents.

3. Requirements
Safety spectacles
Lab code
Test tubes in a rack
Spatula
Five metals (zinc, copper, magnesium, lead, aluminium)
0.5 M solutions of Mgcl2, Pb(NO3)2, Al(SO4)3, CuSO4, ZnCl4

4. Procedure
4.1 Part A: Zinc solution
Four test tubes were collected in a rack.
The four test tubes were poured 0.5 M solution of ZnSO4.
Each test containing 0.5 M solution of ZnSO4 were poured copper, aluminium,
magnesium and lead respectively.
The reactions and colour change were recorded of each test tube were recorded.
.

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 4.2 Part B: Copper solution
Previously used test tubes were rinsed with distilled water and dried.
The four test tubes were poured 0.5 M solution of CuSO4.
Each test containing 0.5 M solution of CuSO4 were poured zinc, aluminium,
magnesium and lead respectively.
The reactions and colour change were recorded of each test tube were recorded.

4.3 Part C: Aluminium solution

Previously used test tubes were rinsed with distilled water and dried.
The four test tubes were poured 0.5 M solution of Al(SO4)3.
Each test containing 0.5 M solution of Al(SO4)3 were poured zinc, copper,
magnesium and lead respectively.
The reactions and colour change were recorded of each test tube were recorded.

4.4 Part D: Magnesium solution

Previously used test tubes were rinsed with distilled water and dried.
The four test tubes were poured 0.5 M solution of MgCl2.
Each test containing 0.5 M solution of MgCl2 were poured zinc, copper, aluminium
and lead respectively.
The reactions and colour change were recorded of each test tube were recorded.

4.5 Part E: Lead solution

Previously used test tubes were rinsed with distilled water and dried.
The four test tubes were poured 0.5 M solution of Pb(NO3)2.
Each test containing 0.5 M solution of Pb(NO3)2 were poured zinc, copper,
aluminium and magnesium respectively.
The reactions and colour change were recorded of each test tube were recorded.

5. Results

Solution Zn Cu Al Mg Pb
Zn2+ -------- x
Cu2+ -------- x x
Al3+ X x --------
Mg2+ X x x --------
Pb2+ x x --------

Table 1: Redox reactions

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 Solution Zn Cu Al Mg Pb
Metal
Zn2+ -------- change to No reaction greyish Light brown
black
Metal
Cu2+ changes to -------- No reaction greenish No reaction
black
Al3+ No reaction No reaction -------- whitish Light brown
Bubbling
Mg2+ No reaction No reaction No reaction --------
liquid
Brownish
Metal
and the
Pb2+ changes to No reaction No reaction --------
liquid
black
bubbles

Table 2: Colour change and reaction types

6. Discussion
The substance which loses electrons is oxidized. The substance which gains electrons
is reduced. Moreover, the chemical which is oxidized is the reducing agent. The
chemical which is reduced is the oxidizing agent.
To easily identify which is oxidized and reduced, oxidation state is assigned to each
element in the compound and reaction. The oxidation number is the effective charge
on an atom in a compound. In the performed experiment, specific reagents were put
into the four different test tubes (see table 1) and then mixed with other
compounds/elements. The visible changes that took place during the experiment were
noted and recorded. The oxidation numbers were identified, the equations were
balanced and the colours were recognized. As what was mentioned earlier, redox
reaction is the transfer of electrons from one reactant to another. When there is
oxidation, reduction should also be present. Therefore, both the half-reactions
oxidation of one substance and reduction of another are needed, because electrons
are transferred between them.

7. Conclusion
We can see how we can classify reactions by performing experiments. During this
reaction the processes of reduction and oxidation were observed. A source of error
would be that the test tubes had residue possibly from other elements. This element
or compound could have reacted with either one of the solutions changing the assigned
oxidation state-charge on an atom, which would change the entire balanced reaction.
Another source of error would be oxygen in the air could have contributed in the
reaction causing the oxygen compound to have a higher molarity which contributes to
the cell potential that determines whether a compound would be oxidized or reduced.
A final source of error would be the inaccuracy of the scale, when measured it always
produced a different result which would change the molarity of the solutions involved
in the reaction which as stated above affects the cell potential.

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8. Answers to questions

8.1 Ionic equations for reacted redox

Zn(s) Zn2+(aq) + 2e- (Reducing agent)

Cu2+(aq) + 2e- Cu(s) (Oxidizing agent)

Zn(s) + Cu2+(aq) Zn2+(aq) + Cu(s) (net ionic equation)

Zn(s) Zn2+ + 2e- (Reducing agent)

Pb2+(aq) + 2e- Pb(s) (Oxidizing agent)

Zn(s) + Pb2+(aq) Zn2+(aq) + Pb(s) (net ionic equation)

Cu(s) Cu2+ + 2e- (Reducing agent)

Zn2+(aq) + 2e- Zn(s) (Oxidizing agent)

Cu(s) + Zn2+(aq) Cu2+(aq) + Zn (net ionic equation)

2Mg(s) 2Mg2+ (aq) + 4e- (Reducing agent)

Zn2+(aq) + 2e- Zn(s) (Oxidizing agent)

Mg(s) + Zn2+(aq) Mg2+(aq) + Zn(aq) (net ionic equation)

2Mg(s) 2Mg2+ (aq) + 4e- (Reducing agent)

Cu2+(aq) + 2e- Cu(s) (Oxidizing agent)

Mg(s) + Cu2+(aq) Mg2+(aq) + Cu(s) (Net ionic equation)

2Mg(s) 2Mg2+(aq) + 4e- (Reducing agent)

Al3+(aq) + 3e- Al(s) (Oxidizing agent)

3Mg(s) + 2Al3+(aq) 3Mg2+(aq) + 2Al(s) (Net ionic equation)

Mg(s) Mg2+(aq) + 2e- (Reducing agent)

Pb2+(aq) + 2e- Pb(s) (Oxidizing agent)

Mg(s) + Pb2+(aq) Mg2+(aq) + Pb(s) (Net ionic equation)

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 Pb(s) Pb2+(aq) + 2e- (Reducing agent)
Zn2+(aq) + 2e- Zn(s) (Oxidizing agent)

Pb(s) + Zn2+(aq) Pb2+(aq) Zn(s) (Net ionic equation)

Pb(s) Pb2+(aq) + 2e- (Reducing agent)

Al3+(aq) + 3e- Al(s) (Oxidizing agent)

3Pb(s) + 2Al3+(aq) 3Pb2+(aq) + 2Al(s) (Net ionic equation)

Pb(s) Pb2+(aq) + 2e- (Reducing agent)

Mg2+(aq) + 2e- Mg(s) (Oxidizing agent)

Pb(s) + Mg2+(aq) Pb2+(aq) + Mg(s) (Net ionic Equation)

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9. References
North Carolina State University. (2013). Oxidation Reduction redox.
http://www.webassign.net/question_assets/ncsugenchem102labv1/lab_11/manua
l.html [14/08/17]

Alevelsci. 2009. Ionic equations.

https://www.stem.org.uk/resources/elibrary/resource/33708/redox-reactions.
[16/08/17]

Royal Society of Chemistry. 2000. Redox reactions.

https://www.stem.org.uk/resources/collection/3958/royal-society-chemistry.
[17/08/17]