Andrew Voyles

IB Chemistry Assessment Statements: Topic 9: Redox

Topic 19: Redox

9.1.1: OILRIG – Oxidation Is Loss of electrons, Reduction Is Gain of

electrons.

9.1.2: The oxidation number of an element is zero. The oxidation

number of an ion is equal to the charge of the ion. In compounds,
Hydrogen has an oxidation number of +1. In compounds, Oxygen
(usually, but not in peroxides) has an oxidation number of -2. Typically,
in a molecule, an atoms’ oxidation number is what its charge would be
if the molecule were a polyatomic ion.

9.1.3: Iron oxide, comes in two forms. FeO and Fe2O3, Iron (II) oxide and
Iron (III) oxide, respectively.

9.1.4: If an element is oxidized, its oxidation number will go up. If an

element is reduced, its oxidation number will go down.

9.2.1: Oxidation half equation... Mg Mg2+ + 2e-.

Reduction half equation... O + 2e-
O2-.

9.2.2: MnO4- + I- → I2 + Mn2+

2I- → I2
MnO4- → Mn2+

2I- → I2
MnO4- + 8 H+ → Mn2+ + 4 H2O

2 I- → I2 + 2e-
5 e- + 8 H+ + MnO4- → Mn2+ + 4 H2O

5(2I- → I2 +2e-)
2(5e- + 8H+ + MnO4- → Mn2+ + 4H2O)

10 I- + 10 e- + 16 H+ + 2 MnO4- → 5 I2 + 2 Mn2+ + 10 e- + 8 H2O

10 I- + 16 H+ + 2 MnO4- → 5 I2 + 2 Mn2+ + 8 H2O

9.2.3: An oxidizing agent is an element which causes oxidation (and is

reduced as a result) by removing electrons from another species.
A reducing agent is an element which causes reduction (and is oxidized
as a result) by giving electrons to another species.

9.2.4: Mg Mg2+ + 2e-. Reducing agent

O + 2e- O2- Oxidizing agent

9.3.1: A more reactive metal will displace a less reactive one from a
compound and a more reactive halogen will displace a weaker one
from a compound. This can be generalized to say a stronger reducing
agent will displace a weaker one from a compound, and a stronger
oxidizing agent will displace a weaker one from a compound. Thus, if a
metal displaces another, we know it must be more reactive and the
same for halogens (which are the given examples).

9.4.1: Add the two half equations in question together (the oxidation
half-reaction will have to be reversed, invert the sign of the standard
reduction potential value also) If the total standard reduction potential
value is positive, the reaction is possible. If not, it isn’t.

9.4.1: In the redox reaction that powers the voltaic cell, reduction
(addition of electrons) occurs to cations at the cathode, while oxidation
(removal of electrons) occurs to anions at the anode. The electrodes do
not touch each other but are electrically connected by the electrolyte,
which can be either solid or liquid.

9.4.2: Oxidation occurs at the negative electrode (the anode), and

reduction occurs at the positive electrode (the cathode), in a voltaic
cell.
9.5.1: This is, fundamentally, the reverse of an electrochemical cell. In
this case a greater electromotive force is applied from the external
circuit using a battery or power source and this forces the species
within the cell to perform the reverse reaction to that which they would
normally tend to do.
It is important not to confuse electrochemical cells which generate
electricity by means of a redox reaction and electrolytic cells which use
electricity to perform chemical reactions.

9.5.2: Oxidation occurs at the positive electrode (the anode), and

reduction occurs at the negative electrode (the cathode), in a voltaic
cell.

9.5.3: Due to the fact that the electrical potential for electrolysis is
negative, this reaction will not proceed spontaneously, so an external
power source (i.e., a battery) must be applied to force the reaction to
occur.

9.5.4: The cation is reduced to form solid metal, and the anion is
oxidized to form a gas, typically.
The Pb2+ ions go to the cathode where they pick up electrons and
become Lead atoms
Pb2+ + 2e Pb
The Br- ions go to the anode where they lose electrons and become
Bromine molecules
2Br- Br2

19.1.1: The standard hydrogen electrode consists of a solution of H3O

ions at 1 mol dm-3 in a beaker. Placed into this is a platinum electrode
surrounded by a gas tube submerged in the solution, with hydrogen
gas bubbling over it at 1 atm inside. The circuit to the other half cell is
then attached to the platinum electrode, and a salt bridge saturated in
potassium chloride. The entire process should take place at 298K and 1
atm pressure.
19.1.2: The potential difference between a given half cell (at 1 mol dm-
3
conc) and the standard hydrogen electrode.

19.1.3: The potential difference between two half cells (if one half
equation is reversed and the two equations are added, the cell
potential will be given. It should be positive if you reversed the right
one, if it's negative the reaction occurs in the opposite direction to the
one you're writing.

19.1.4: Most reactions with positive E-zero values will occur, however it
is possible that under non-standard conditions reactions may not
occur, or that some reactions may have very high activation energy,
meaning the will not occur at any significant rate. Due to the fact that
the electrical potential for electrolysis is negative, this reaction will not
proceed spontaneously, so an external power source (i.e., a battery)
must be applied to force the reaction to occur.

19.2.1: Electrolysis is where the above cells are forced to run in reverse
by attaching an electricity source to overcome the potential difference.
In aqueous solutions water is also present, and will sometimes be
oxidized/reduced in preference to the dissolved salts (or whatever). It
is possible to use the standard electrode potentials to predict this, in
that species above water (when it is on the left) will not be oxidized,
and species below water (on the right) will not be reduced in an
aqueous solution.
If necessary, this can be checked by working out the cell potential for
all possible combinations (involving the, presumably, two elements and
water). The reaction with the smallest negative potential difference will
be the one which occurs. Highly concentrated solutions may overcome
this to some degree however (i.e. it is possible for Cl2 to be oxidized in
a concentrated solution).

19.2.2: Faraday's law states that the mass of product produced will be
proportional to the charge passed. (Note: The equation charge =
current x time , or q=It may be necessary/useful). Faraday's law may
also be restated as "The number of faradays required to discharge 1
mol of an ion at an electrode equals the number of charges on that
ion".

19.2.3: In the electrolysis of an aqueous solution, as the cations are

reduced to from solid metals, these are deposited at the cathode. By
connecting a metal object to the cathode, it is possible to plate the
deposited metal on the object.