Unit 5 – Part 2: Redox Reactions and
Electrochemistry
Oxidation Numbers
Oxidizing and Reducing Agents
Balancing Redox Reactions
Acidic solutions
Basic solutions
Galvanic Cells
Nernst Equation
Redox Reactions
The battery in your car provides electrical
energy to start your car using the following
reaction:
- +
PbO2 (s) + Pb (s) + 2 HSO4 (aq) + 2 H (aq) 2 PbSO4 (s) + 2 H2O (l)
This is a redox reaction.
Corrosion of the battery terminal in
your car is caused by a complex
reaction between the metal terminal,
oxygen, and the battery acid, H2SO4.
This reaction is also a redox reaction.
Redox Reactions
Oxidation-Reduction Reactions (Redox
Reactions)
reactions that involve the transfer of
electrons between two reactants
an element in one reactant is oxidized
while an element in another reactant is
reduced
Cu2+ (aq) + Mg (s) Cu (s) + Mg2+ (aq)
reduced oxidized
Redox Reactions
Oxidation:
the loss of electrons
chemical species becomes more positively
charged
Mg (s) Mg2+ (aq) + 2 e-
the gain of oxygen
An increase in oxidation number
Redox Reactions
Reduction:
the gain of electrons
the chemical species becomes more
negatively charged
Cu2+ (aq) + 2 e- Cu (s)
the gain of hydrogen
A decrease in oxidation number
Redox Reactions
LEO:
GER Lose Electrons
Oxidation
GER:
LEO Gain Electrons
Reduction
LEO says GER
Redox Reactions
Oil :
Oxidation Involves
Loss of e-
Rig :
Reduction Involves
Gain of e-
Oil Rig
Redox Reactions
Many practical or everyday examples of redox
reactions:
Corrosion of iron (rust formation)
4 Fe (s) + 3 O2 (g) 2 Fe2O3 (s)
Combustion
CH4 (g) + 2 O2 (g) CO2 (g) + 2 H2O (g)
Batteries
4 Al (s) + 3 O2 (g) + 6 H2O (l) 4 Al(OH)3 (s)
(aluminum-oxygen batteries)
Redox Reactions
Additional examples of redox reactions:
Metabolic processes
Pyruvic acid lactic acid
Pyruvic acid acetaldehyde ethanol
Oxidation of Metals by Acids, Water, or
Metal Salts
2Al (s) + 3H2SO4 (aq) Al2(SO4)3(aq) + 3H2 (g)
2 Na (s) + 2 H2O (l) 2 NaOH (aq) + H2 (g)
Redox Reactions
The electrons gained and lost during a redox
reaction are not explicitly shown in chemical
equations.
How do you know if a redox reaction has
occurred?
You must examine the oxidation number of
each of the elements present in the
reactants and products.
Redox Reactions
Oxidation Numbers are used to keep track of
electrons gained and lost during redox
reactions.
Oxidation number
a hypothetical number assigned to an
individual atom present in a compound using
a set of rules.
May be positive, negative, or zero
Rules for Oxidation Numbers
Oxidation numbers are always reported for
individual atoms or ions not groups of atoms
or ions!!!!!!!!!!!
For an atom in its elemental form, the
oxidation number is always zero.
H2: oxidation # = 0 for each H atom
Cu: oxidation number = 0
Cl2: oxidation # = 0 for each Cl atom
Rules for Oxidation Numbers
For any monoatomic ion, oxidation # = charge
of the ion
K+ oxidation # = +1
Cl- oxidation # = -1
S2- oxidation # = -2
Group 1A Metal Cations are always +1
Group 2A Metal Cations are always +2
Rules for Oxidation Numbers
Hydrogen (H) in a compound
+1 when bonded to nonmetals
-1 when bonded to metals or B
Oxygen (O) in a compound
-1 in peroxides (O22-)
-2 in all other compounds
Fluorine (F) in a compound
always -1
Rules for Oxidation Numbers
The sum of the oxidation numbers of all atoms
in any chemical species (ion or neutral
compound) is equal to the charge on that
chemical species
H2O: 1 + 1 + -2 = 0
MgCl2: 2 + -1 + -1 = 0
MnO4-: 7 + 4(-2) = -1
This last rule is used to determine the
oxidation number of an element that has no
specific “rule.”
Oxidation Numbers
Example: Determine the oxidation number of
all elements in SO3.
Oxidation Numbers
Example: Determine the oxidation number of all
elements in Cu(NO3)2
Oxidation Numbers
Example: Determine the oxidation number of P
in NaH2PO4
Oxidation Numbers
Example: Determine the oxidation number of
all elements in Cr2O72-.
Redox Reactions
To determine if a redox reaction has occurred,
compare the oxidation number of identical
elements on the reactants and products side of
the equation.
If the oxidation number changes, then a
redox reaction has occurred.
Oxidation:
Loss of electrons
Increase in oxidation number
Reduction
Gain of electrons
Decrease in oxidation number.
Redox Reactions
Example: Is the following a redox reaction? If
so, which element is oxidized? Which element is
reduced?
2 C6H6 (l) + 9 O2 (g) 12 CO2 (g) + 6 H2O (l)
Redox Reactions
Example: Identify the element that has been
oxidized and the one that has been reduced.
4 Al (s) + 3 O2 (g) + 6 H2O (l) 4 Al(OH)3 (s)
- +
PbO2 (s) + Pb (s) + 2 HSO4 (aq) + 2 H (aq) 2 PbSO4 (s) + 2 H2O (l)
Redox Reactions
Oxidizing Agent (oxidant):
the reactant that causes another reactant to be
oxidized
the reactant that contains the element that is
reduced
Reducing Agent (reductant):
the reactant that causes another substance to be
reduced
the reactant that contains the element that is
oxidized
Redox Reactions
Example: Identify the oxidizing and reducing
agents in the following reactions.
CH4 (g) + 2 O2 (g) CO2 (g) + 2 H2O (g)
4 Al (s) + 3 O2 (g) + 6 H2O (l) 4 Al(OH)3 (s)
Redox Reactions
When writing the equation for a redox reaction,
you must
balance the atoms on both sides
balance the loss and gain of electrons
For “simple” redox reactions, the loss and gain
of electrons is “automatically” balanced when you
balance the atoms
Zn (s) + 2 H+ (aq) Zn2+ (aq) + H2 (g)
Redox Reactions
Most redox reactions are more complex to
balance.
Sn2+ (aq) + Fe3+ (aq) Sn4+ (aq) + Fe2+ (aq)
Sn2+(aq) + 2 Fe3+ (aq) Sn4+ (aq) + 2 Fe2+ (aq)
Redox Reactions
Redox reactions can be broken up into 2
half-reactions:
a reaction that shows either oxidation or
reduction alone
Overall reaction:
+ 2+
Zn (s) + 2 H (aq) Zn (aq) + H2 (g)
Oxidation half reaction:
2+ -
Zn (s) Zn (aq) + 2 e
Reduction half reaction:
+ -
2 H (aq) + 2 e H2 (g)
Redox Reactions
Notice that electrons lost = electrons gained
in a balanced redox reaction:
2+ -
Zn (s) Zn (aq) + 2 e
+ -
2 H (aq) + 2 e H2 (g)
+ 2+
Zn (s) + 2 H (aq) Zn (aq) + H2 (g)
Balancing Redox Reactions
Procedure for Acidic Solutions:
Divide the equation into 2 incomplete half
reactions
one for oxidation
one for reduction
Balance each half-reaction:
balance all elements except H and O
balance O atoms by adding H2O
balance H atoms by adding H+
balance charge by adding e- to side with
more positive overall charge
Balancing Redox Equations
Multiply each half reaction by an integer so
that
# e- lost = # e- gained
Add the half reactions together.
Simplify where possible by canceling
species appearing on both sides of
equation
Check the equation
# of atoms
total charge on each side
Balancing Redox Equations
Example: Balance the following redox reaction:
Cr2O72- + Fe2+ Cr3+ + Fe3+ (acidic soln)
Balancing Redox Reactions
Example: Balance the following redox reaction
which takes place in acidic solution.
ClO3- + CH3OH Cl2 + H2CO
Balancing Redox Reactions
Procedure for Basic Solutions:
Divide the equation into 2 incomplete half
reactions
one for oxidation
one for reduction
Balancing Redox Reactions
Balance each half-reaction:
balance all elements except H and O
balance O atoms by adding H2O
balance H atoms by adding H+
add 1 OH- to both sides for every H+
added
different combine H+ and OH- on same side to make
H 2O
cancel the same # of H2O from each side
balance charge by adding e- to side with
the more positive overall charge
Balancing Redox Equations
Multiply each half reaction by an integer so
that
# e- lost = # e- gained
Add the half reactions together.
Simplify where possible by canceling
species appearing on both sides of
equation
Check the equation
# of atoms
total charge on each side
Balancing Redox Reactions
Example: Balance the following redox reaction.
NH3 + ClO- Cl2 + N2H4 (basic soln)
Balancing Redox Reactions
Example: Balance this redox reaction which occurs
under basic conditions.
Pb(OH)42- + ClO- PbO2 + Cl-
