L.S.T. Leung Chik Wai Memorial School Chpt:19 p.

1
F.6 Chemistry
Chapter 19: Redox Equilibra I

REDOX EQUILIBRIA I 氧化還原平衡 I

I. REDOX REACTIONS

(A) Oxidation and reduction in terms of electron transfer .

Oxidation may be defined in three ways:

1. It is the addition of oxygen to a substance.

2. It is the removal of hydrogen from a substance.
3. It is the loss of electrons from a substance.

Reduction may also be defined in three ways:

1. It is the removal of oxygen from a substance.

2. It is the addition of hydrogen to a substance.
3. It is the gain of electrons by a substance.

When the oxidation and reduction are considered in terms of electron transfer,

oxidation is the loss of electrons from a substance and

reduction is the gain of electrons by a substance.

Note:
<1> Oxidation and reduction should take place simultaneously. These reactions are called redox
reactions.

<2> A redox reaction therefore consists of two half-reactions, one of which is oxidation and the
other of which is reduction.

<3> Example: When a piece of iron is immersed in copper(II) sulphate solution, it soon becomes
coated with copper.
Fe(s) + CuSO4(aq)  Cu(s) + FeSO4(aq)

It is more convenient to represent the reaction by an ionic equation.

This shows that the iron is oxidized to its hydrated cation Fe2+(aq) and the hydrated
copper(II) ion Cu2+(aq) are reduced to copper atoms. The oxidation half-reaction is thus

Fe(s)  Fe2+ (aq) + 2e

The two electrons lost by the iron atom are gained by the hydrated copper(II) ion:
2e
Fe(s)  Cu2+
The reduction half-reaction is thus

Cu2+(aq) + 2e  Cu(s)
 L.S.T. Leung Chik Wai Memorial School Chpt:19 p.2
F.6 Chemistry
Chapter 19: Redox Equilibra I

(B) Oxidizing agents and reducing agents

Oxidizing agents   are substances which can accept eletrcons from other substances.
Reducing agents  are substances which can give electrons to other substances.

Examples
<a> Oxidizing agents

<1> Non-metallic elements : These accept electrons to form anions.

e.g. halogens i.e. F2,Cl2,Br2 and I2 , oxygen

<2> Cations : These are usually metal ions. They accept e to form neutral atoms or molecules.
e.g. copper(II) ion, hydrogen ion.

<3> Ions with an element in a high oxidation states

e.g. Manganate(VII) ion,dichromate(VI) ion

<b> Reducing agents

<1> Metals : They can donate electrons to form metal ions e.g. iron, zinc, magnesium

<2> Non-metals : They can remove elements with negative oxidation numbers from compounds
with metals.
e.g. carbon, carbon monoxide.

<3> Ions with an element in a low oxidation state

e.g. iron(II) ion, sulphite ion

(C) Oxidation numbers (Oxidation states)  

The oxidation number (oxidation state) of an element is equal to its combining power with
oxygen. Elements in both ionic and covalent compounds can have oxidation numbers.

Oxidation-reduction reactions are often discussed in terms of the change in the oxidation
number or oxidation state of each element.
 L.S.T. Leung Chik Wai Memorial School Chpt:19 p.3
F.6 Chemistry
Chapter 19: Redox Equilibra I

(D) Rules for assigning oxidation numbers

1. The oxidation number of an uncombined element is zero.

e.g.

2. In ionic compounds, the oxidation number is equal to the charge on the ion.
e.g.

3. The sum of the oxidation numbers of all the atoms or ions in a compound is zero.
e.g.

4. The sum of the oxidation numbers of all the atoms in an ion is equal to the charge on the ion.
e.g.

5. Some elements nearly always employ the same oxidation number in their compounds. They are
used as reference points in assigning numbers to other elements. The reference elements are
K Na +1 H +1 except in metal hydrides
Mg Ca +2 F -1
Al +3 Cl -1 except in compounds with
O and F
O -2 except in peroxides,
superoxides, fluorides

Exercise 1:
What are oxidation numbers of the following underlined elements?
(a) TlCl3 (b) Cl2O72 (c) Cr(CN)63-

ANSWER

(E) Balancing redox equations

<1> Balancing redox equation using half equations

Many possible redox reactions can result from various combinations of oxidizing agents. The
following simple rules can be used to obtain balanced equations from these redox reactions.

1. Write down the oxidizing agent and reducing agent involved. Determine their products.

2. Write separate half equations for oxidation and reduction in the redox reaction. balance each
equation with respect to the number of atoms.

In acidic solution, balance the number of oxygen or hydrogen atoms by adding the proper of H+
of H2O to either side of the half equation.
 L.S.T. Leung Chik Wai Memorial School Chpt:19 p.4
F.6 Chemistry
Chapter 19: Redox Equilibra I

In alkaline solution, balance the number of oxygen or hydrogen atoms by adding the proper
number of OH- of H2O to either side of the half equation.
Then balance each equation with respect to charge by adding electrons to either side of the
equation.

3. Multiply each balanced half equation by a number such that electrons gained in one of the half
equations are equal to electrons lost in the other.

Combine the two half equations to eliminate the electrons. Collect like terms if necessary. This
gives the balanced redox equation

Exercise 2
Write balanced equations for the following redox reactions:

(a) manganate (VII) and Iron(II) in acidic solution.

(b) dichromate (VI) and ethanedioate in acidic solution.
(c) iodine and thiosulphate (VI)
(d) chlorine and potassium iodide solution

ANSWER:
 L.S.T. Leung Chik Wai Memorial School Chpt:19 p.5
F.6 Chemistry
Chapter 19: Redox Equilibra I

<2> Balancing redox equations using oxidation numbers

The rules are listed below:

1. Write down the reagents involved. Determine their products

2. Assign oxidation numbers to all atoms.

3. Notice atoms which undergo a change in oxidation number, determine the loss or gain of
electrons per formula unit.

4. Make the number of electrons gained by the oxidizing agent to that lost by the reducing
agent by inserting an appropriate coefficient before the formula of each on the left-hand
side of the equation.

5. Balanced the atoms which have gained or lost electrons by adding appropriate
coefficients on the right.

6. Balance all atoms except for 0 and H.

7. Balance the charge (the sum of all the ionic charges) so that it is the same on both sides,
by adding either H+ or OH-.

(a) If the reaction takes place in acidic solution, add H+ to the side deficient in
positive charges.
(b) If the reaction takes place in alkaline solution, add OH- to the side deficient in
negative charges,

8. Balance O atoms by adding H2O to the appropriate side. Check to see that the H atoms
are now balanced.

Exercise 3
Write balanced equations for the following redox reactions by using oxidation number method.

(a) acidified potassium dichromate(VI) and iron(II) sulphate.

(b) potassium chromate(VI) and sodium sulphite in alkaline solution.
(c) potassium manganate (VII) and hydrogen peroxide in acidic
solution.
ANSWER