CHM 138

BASIC CHEMISTRY

CHAPTER 7

OXIDATION AND REDUCTION

(REDOX) REACTIONS

SUBTOPICS
Redox

reactions
i) Oxidation
ii)Reduction
Electron transfer reactions
Oxidation number
Balance redox equations using ion
electron method
i) In acidic solution
ii) In basic solution

REDOX REACTIONS
Redox

reactions:
- oxidation and reduction reactions
that occurs simultaneously.

Redox reactions:

Oxidation:
Reduction:

electron transfer processes

loss of 1 or more egain of 1 or more e-

Oxidation is always accomplice by reduction

Oxidizing and Reducing Agents

Oxidizing agent or oxidant:

- substance that are reduced.
-act as an electron accepter
Reducing agent or reductant:
- substance that are oxidized
-act as an electrons donor

Electron Transfer Reactions

Oxidation reactions: half-reaction that
involves loss of electrons
Reduction reactions: half-reaction that
involves gain of electrons
Oxidizing agents: substance that accepts
electrons (substances that are reduced)
Reducing agents: substances that donates
electrons (substances that are oxidized)

COMPARISON BETWEEN
OXIDATION AND REDUCTION
Oxidation
1) addition of oxygen

2) loss of hydrogen
3) loss of electron
4) increase in the
oxidation state /
oxidation number
5) Reducing agent is
oxidized

Reduction
1) loss of oxygen

2) addition of hydrogen
3) gain of electrons
4) decrease in the
oxidation state / oxidation
number
5) Oxidizing agent is
reduced

OXIDATION STATES @ OXIDATION NUMBER (O.N)

Refers to the number of electrons transferred, shared( or
Involved in the formation of chemical bonds) in a substance.
i. For monoatomic ions, the oxidation number is equal to the charge on the ion.
ii. For covalently bonded atom, the oxidation number is the change on an atom
calculated by assigning both electrons of a shared pair to the more
electronegative atom.

1. Free elements (uncombined state) have an O.N of

zero.
Na, Be, K, Pb, H2, O2, P4 = 0
2. Halogens have O.N of -1 but posses a positive
O.N when combine with oxygen.
3. The O.N of oxygen is usually 2. In H2O2 and O22it is 1. And when combine with F, it is +2

4. Group IA metals are +1, IIA metals are +2 and

respectively.
5. The oxidation number of hydrogen is +1 except in
metal hydride which hydrogen has an oxidation
number is 1.
6. The sum of the oxidation numbers of all the atoms
in a molecule or ion is equal to the charge on the
molecule or ion.

7. In a neutral molecule, the sum of the oxidation

numbers of all the atoms must be zero: CO2, FESO4,
NaCl.
8. The total O.N of all atoms that made up polyatomic
ions is equal to the nett charge of the polyatomic
ions. (sum of O.N. is ions charge)( Cr2O72-, NO3-)

The Oxidation Numbers of Elements

in their Compounds

Examples:

Calculate the oxidation numbers of all the

elements in this following compounds or ion.
i) HCO3-

O = 2
H = +1

3x(2) + 1 + ( O.N of C) = 1
C = +4

ii) NaIO3
Na = +1

O = -2
3x(-2) + 1 + ( O.N of I )= 0
I = +5
iii) IF7
iv) KClO3
v) CaCl2
vi) HNO3

USING OXIDATION NUMBERS

Careful examination of the oxidation

numbers of atoms in an equation allows
us to determine what is oxidized and
what is reduced in an oxidation-reduction
reaction

USING OXIDATION NUMBERS

An

increase in the oxidation number

indicates that an atom has lost electrons
and therefore oxidized.
A decrease in the oxidation number
indicates that an atom has gained
electrons and therefore reduced
Example
Zn
+
CuSO4 ZnSO4 + Cu
0
+2 +6-2
+2+6-2
0
Zn: 0 + 2 Oxidized
Cu: +2 0 Reduced

EXERCISE
For each of the following reactions find the element
oxidized and the element reduced

a) Cl2

KBr

KCl +

b) MnO4- + Fe 2+ Mn 2+ + Fe 3+
c) HNO3 +

I2

HIO3 +

NO2

Br2

Number of electrons gained must equal the number of electrons lost.

- 2 e+2 e-

Use oxidation numbers to determine what is oxidized and what is

reduced.

Cu 2+
2

Cu

Refer to Balancing
Oxidation-Reduction Reactions

(s)

+2 e-

H2 (g) + 2 e0

2H+
2

Electron Transfer Reactions

2Mg

2Mg2+ + 4e-

O2 + 4e-

2O2-

2Mg + O2 + 4e2Mg + O2

Oxidation half-reaction (lose e-)

Reduction half-reaction (gain e-)

2Mg2+ + 2O2- + 4e2MgO

Examples:
1) Identify the reducing and oxidizing agent in this reaction.
Zn (s) + CuSO4 (aq)
Zn

ZnSO4 (aq) + Cu (s)

Zn2+ + 2e- Zn is oxidized

Cu2+ + 2e-

Zn is the reducing agent

Cu Cu2+ is reduced Cu2+ is the oxidizing agen

2) Copper wire reacts with silver nitrate to form silver metal.

Identify the oxidizing agent in this reaction.
Cu (s) + 2AgNO3 (aq)

Cu(NO3)2 (aq) + 2Ag (s)

Cu

Ag+ is reduced

Ag+ + 1e-

Cu2+ + 2eAg

Ag+ is the oxidizing agent

Question:
Identify the substance oxidized and the substance reduced as
well as the oxidizing and reducing agent in the reaction:

(a) NO (g) + 2 (s) 2+ (aq) + 3 (aq)

(b) 4 - + 2 4 - 2+ + 2

BALANCING REDOX EQUATIONS IN

ACIDIC AND BASIC SOLUTION

Ion electron method

Example 1: In acidic solution

Balance the redox equation below using ion electron method:
MnO4- + C2O42- + H+
1.

Determine the oxidation process and reduction process.

MnO4+7
C2O42+3

2.

Mn2+
+2
CO2
+4

(reduction)
(oxidation)

Balance the atoms that involve the changes of oxidation number (atoms
other than O and H).
MnO4C2O42-

3.

CO2 + Mn 2+ + H2O (in acidic solution)

Mn2+
2CO2

(Multiplied by 2 to balance C atoms)

Add H2O to balance O atoms.

MnO4-

Mn2+ + 4H2O

C2O42-

2CO2

4.

Add H+ to balance H atoms.

MnO4- + 8H+

Mn2+ + 4H2O

C2O425.

2CO2

Add electrons to one side of each half-reaction to balance the charges on

the half-reaction.
MnO4- + 8H+ + 5e-1
+8
-5
C2O42-2

6.

Mn2+ + 4H2O
+2
0
2CO2 + 2e0
-2

If necessary, equalize the number of electrons in the two half-reactions by

multiplying the half-reactions by appropriate coefficients.
2 (MnO4- + 8H+ + 5e-

Mn2+ + 4H2O)

5 (C2O42-

2CO2 + 2e-)

2MnO4- + 16H+ + 10e5C2O42-

2Mn2+ + 8H2O
10CO2 + 10e-

7.

Add the two half-reactions together and balance the final equation by
inspection. The number of electrons on both sides must cancel.

Oxidation:
Reduction:

5C2O42-

10CO2 + 10e-

2MnO4- + 16H+ + 10e-

2MnO4- + 16H+ + 5C2O428.

2Mn2+ + 8H2O

2Mn2+ + 8H2O + 10CO2

Verify that the number of atoms and the charges are balanced.
(2 x -1) + (16 x +1) + (5 x -2) = (2 x +2) + (8 x 0) + (10 x 0)
+4 = +4

Example 2: In basic solution

Balance the redox equation belows using ion electron method:
ClO- + Cr(OH)41.

Determine the oxidation process and reduction process.

ClO+1
Cr(OH)4+3

2.

Cl- (reduction)
-1
CrO42- (oxidation)
+6

Balance the atoms that involve the changes of oxidation number (atoms
other than O and H).
ClOClCr(OH)4-

3.

Cl- + CrO42- (in basic solution)

CrO42-

Add H2O to balance O atoms.

ClOCr(OH)4-

Cl- + H2O
CrO42-

4.

Add H+ to balance H atoms.

2H+ + ClO-

Cl- + H2O

Cr(OH)45.

CrO42- + 4H+

Add electrons to one side of each half-reaction to balance the charges on

the half-reaction.
2H+ + ClO- + 2e+2 -1
-2

6.

Cl- + H2O
-1
0

Cr(OH)4CrO42- + 4H+ + 3e-1

-2
+4
-3
If necessary, equalize the number of electrons in the two half-reactions by
multiplying the half-reactions by appropriate coefficients.
3 (2H+ + ClO- + 2e-

2 (Cr(OH)46H+ + 3ClO- + 6e2Cr(OH)4-

Cl- + H2O)

CrO42- + 4H+ + 3e-)

3Cl- + 3H2O
2CrO42- + 8H+ + 6e-

7.

Add the two half-reactions together and balance the final equation by
inspection. The number of electrons on both sides must cancel.

Oxidation:
Reduction:

2Cr(OH)46H+ + 3ClO- + 6e-

2Cr(OH)4- + 3ClO8.

2CrO42- + 8H+ + 6e3Cl- + 3H2O

2CrO42- + 2H+ + 3Cl- + 3H2O

Verify that the number of atoms and the charges are balanced.
(2 x -1) + (3 x -1) = (2 x -2) + (2 x +1) + (3 x -1) + (3 x 0)
-5 = -5

9.

For reactions in basic solutions, add OH- to both sides of the equation for
every H+ that appears in the final equation.

2OH- + 2Cr(OH)4- + 3ClO-

2CrO42- + 2H+ + 3Cl- + 3H2O + 2OH-

2OH- + 2Cr(OH)4- + 3ClO-

2CrO42- + 3Cl- + 3H2O + 2H2O

2OH- + 2Cr(OH)4- + 3ClO-

2CrO42- + 3Cl- + 5H2O

EXERCISES
Balance the following chemical equation:
1.

2.

2 7 2 + 2+ + + 3+ + 3+ + 2 O (acidic medium)
+ 2 3 2 + 4 2 (basic medium)