OXIDATIONREDUCTION

REACTION
r

REDO
X

Oxidation of Food:
Fruits and Vegetables
oxidized
when left in open air

Solution: Seal in plastic wrap

Oxidation of People!
Oxidation of nutrients causes
increased activity of cells,
leading to aging skin

Solution: Beauty products?

What is a redox reaction?

Redox reduction + oxidation
Both processes occur
simultaneously

OXIDATION REDUCTION
gain in
loss of oxygen
oxygen
loss of
gain in
hydrogen
hydrogen
loss of
gain of
electrons
electrons

In terms of Oxygen:
Oxidation: Gain of oxygen in
a species
E.g. Mg is oxidized to MgO
Reduction: Loss of oxygen in
a species
E.g. H2O is reduced to H2
Note: Its the gain or loss of O,

In terms of Hydrogen:
Oxidation: Loss of hydrogen
in a species
E.g. H2O is oxidized to O2
Reduction: Gain of hydrogen
in a species
E.g. O2 is reduced to H2O2
Note: Its the gain or loss of H,
+

In terms of Electrons
Mnemonics: OIL RIG:

Oxidation Is Loss,

Reduction Is Gain

Oxidation: Loss of electrons

in a species
E.g. Mg is oxidized to MgO (Mg
from 12 electrons to 10
electrons in Mg2+)
Reduction: Gain of electrons
in a species
E.g. O2 is reduced to H2O2 (O

In terms of Oxidation States:

Oxidation: Gain in oxidation
state
E.g. Mg is oxidized to MgO
2Mg + O2 2MgO
OS: 0
+2
Reduction: Decrease in
oxidation state
E.g. O2 is reduced to H2O2
2H2O+O2 --------> 2
H2O2

Chemical species

Oxidation state and remarks

Any element Fe, O2 ,S8 zero

Oxygen in any
compound

-2 except in peroxides example H 2O2 or Na2O2 then oxygen

atom has oxidation state of -1 or in F2O , then oxygen atom
has oxidation state of +2

Fluorine in any
compound

-1 being most electronegative

Hydrogen in any
compound

+1 except in metal hydrides example NaH then hydrogen atom

has oxidation state of -1 as metals have a greater tendency
to lose electrons

Chlorine, bromine,
iodine

-ve oxidation state if bonded to less electronegative element

eg
NaCl; then Cl = -1.
+ve oxidation state if bonded to more electronegative element
eg
ClO- , then Cl = +1; ClO3- , then Cl = +5

Determine the oxidation state of

the ff:

1)H in H2O
2)N in NH4+
3)S in S2O324)Cr in Cr2O72-

* Sum of all oxidation states of all atoms

= Overall Charge of molecule / ion /
atom
1) H in H2O
Let the oxidation state of H be x.
H2O, 2x + (-2) = 0
x=1

2) Cr in Cr2O72Let the oxidation state of Cr be x.

Cr2O72-, 2x + 7(-2) = -2
x = +6

A) N in NH4+
Let the oxidation state of N be x.
NH4+, x + 4(+1) = +1
x = -3
B) S in S2O32Let the oxidation state of S
be x.
S2O32-, 2x + 3(-2) = -2
x = +2

Gain
Oxygen

CH4 + 2O2 CO2 + 2

H2O
Gain
Hydrogen

Gain Oxygen, Increase OS

from 0 to +2

2 Ca + O2 2 CaO
Decrease OS from
0 to -2

Which substance is reduced in

each of the following reactions:
a) PbO (s) + H2(g) Pb (s) +
H2O (l)
b) H2S (g) + Cl2 (g)

2HCl + S

c) Zn + Cu 2+ (aq) Zn2+ (aq)

+ Cu (s)

Oxidizing and Reducing agent

An oxidizing agent is a
chemical species that causes
the other reactant in a redox
reaction to be oxidised, and it is
always reduced in the process.

A reducing agent is a
chemical species that causes
the other reactant in a redox
reaction to be reduced, and it
is always oxidised in the
process.

2Mg + O2 2MgO
Mg is oxidized, and thus is the
reducing agent
O2 is reduced, and thus is the
oxidizing agent

Mnemonics

LEORA
Loss Electron Oxidation Reducing
Agent

GEROA
Gain Electron Reduction Oxidizing
Agent

Write the half oxidation/reduction

equation, then identify the reducing
and oxidizing agent.
a) Fe (s) + S8(s) ------> FeS(s)
b) Co(s) + Cl2 (g) ---------> CoCl2 (s)
c) CaO (s) + SO2 (g) ----------> CaSO3
(s)
d) ZnO (s) + C (s) -----------> Zn (g) +
CO2
e) H2 + CuO Cu + H2O
f) PbO + CO Pb + CO2
g) Mg + HCl (aq) MgCl2 + H2

Exercise 4.3( )
Write the half oxidation/reduction
equation, then identify the compound that
contains the reducing and oxidizing agent.

MnO4 H 2 O2 Mn 2 O2
MnO4-+ CN-----> MnO2+ CNO-

Balancing REDOX equation

In ACIDIC Solution
The half-equation method

MnO4 H 2 O2 Mn

O2

Step 1: Identify the atoms in the given

species that are undergoing oxidation /
reduction and write the unbalanced
oxidation / reduction half-equations

MnO4
Reduction half-equation (RHE):

H 2 O2
Oxidation half-equation (OHE):

Mn 2

O2

Step2: Balance both the half-equations

using the following steps:

Balance the elements other than O

and H
Balance oxygen atoms by adding
H2O molecules
Balance hydrogen atoms by
adding H+ ions
Balance charges by adding
electrons

Reduction half-equation:

MnO4 Mn 2

MnO4 8 H Mn

4H 2O

MnO4 8 H 5e Mn 2 4 H 2 O
Oxidation half-equation:

H 2 O2 O2

H 2O2 O2 2 H

H 2 O 2 O 2 2 H 2e

Step 3: Multiply the balanced halfequations by appropriate integers such

that the number of electrons in both
half-equations are equal.
Reduction half-equation:

MnO4 8 H 5e Mn 2 4 H 2 O

x2

Oxidation half-equation:

H 2 O 2 O 2 2 H 2e

x5

Step 3: Multiply the balanced halfequations by appropriate integers such

that the number of electrons in both
half-equations are equal
Reduction
half-equation:

2 MnO4 16 H 10e 2 Mn 2 8 H 2 O
Oxidation half-equation:

5 H 2 O2 5O2 10 H 10e

Step 4: Add the resulting halfequations together, and eliminate

any common species on both sides to
obtain the balanced equation.

6H
+

2 MnO 4 16 H 10e 2 Mn 2 8 H 2 O

5 H 2O2

5O2 10 H 10e

2 MnO4 5 H 2 O2 6 H 2 Mn 2 5O2 8 H 2 O

Balancing REDOX equation

In BASIC Solution
The half-equation method

MnO4-+ CN---> MnO2+ CNOStep 1: Identify the atoms in the given

species that are undergoing oxidation /
reduction and write the unbalanced
oxidation / reduction half-equations

Balancing REDOX equation

In BASIC Solution

Reduction half-equation (RHE):

MnO

----> MnO2

Oxidation half-equation (OHE):

CN----->

CNO-

Balancing REDOX equation

In BASIC Solution

Step2: Balance both the half-equations

using the following steps:

Balance the elements other than O

and H
Balance oxygen atoms by adding
H2O molecules
Balance hydrogen atoms by
adding H+ ions
Neutralize H+ ions by adding OHto both sides of the half-reaction.
Balance charges by adding

Reduction half-equation:
MnO4-----> MnO2
4 H++ MnO4----> MnO2+ 2 H2O
4 OH-+ 4 H++ MnO4-----> MnO2+ 2 H2O + 4 OH4 OH-+ 4 H++ MnO4 - +43e+ ----> MnO2+ 2 H2O + 4 OH
H +

Oxidation half-equation:
CN-----> CNO-

H2O + CN-----> CNO-+ 2 H+

2 OH-+ H2O + CN-----> CNO-+ 2 H++ 2 OH2 OH-+ H2O + CN-----> CNO-+ 2 H++ 2 OH- + 2e-

Step 3: Multiply the balanced halfequations by appropriate integers such

that the number of electrons in both
half-equations are equal.
Reduction half-equation:
4 OH-+ 4 H++ MnO4 - + 3e- ----> MnO2+ 2 H2O + 4 OH
x2

Oxidation half-equation:
2 OH-+ H2O + CN-----> CNO-+ 2 H++ 2 OH- + 2ex3

Step 3: Multiply the balanced halfequations by appropriate integers such

that the number of electrons in both
half-equations are equal
8 OH
+ 8 H++ 2half-equation:
MnO4 - + 6e- ----> 2MnO2+ 4 H2O + 8 OHReduction

Oxidation half-equation:
6 OH-+ 3 H2O + 3 CN-----> 3 CNO-+ 6 H++ 6 OH- + 6e-

Step 4: Add the resulting halfequations together, and eliminate

any common species on both sides to
obtain the balanced equation.
2 OH-

8 OH-+ 8 H++ 2 MnO4 - + 6e- ----> 2MnO2+ 4 H2O + 8 OH6 OH-+ 3 H2O + 3 CN-----> 3 CNO-+ 6 H++ 6 OH- + 6e-

H2O + 2 MnO4-+ 3 CN-----> 2 MnO2+ 2

OH-+ 3 CNO-

Balance the ff REDOX

Equations:
Cu(s)+NO3-(aq)--> NO2(g)+Cu2+(aq) in
acidic solution
NO2- (aq) + Al (s) ---> NH3 (aq) + Al(OH)4- (aq) in basic solution

Balance the ff:

a) MnO4(aq) + C2O42(aq)
Mn2+(aq)

CO2(g) +

Reduction half-reaction:
MnO4(aq) + 8 H+(aq) + 5 e
4 H2O(l)

Mn2+(aq) +

Oxidation half-reaction:
C2O42(aq)
2 CO2(g) + 2 e
Net reaction:
2 MnO4(aq) + 5 C2O42(aq) + 16 H+(aq)
CO2(g) + 8 H2O(l)

2 Mn2+(aq) + 10

END OF REDOX