General Chemistry 2 Online

Oxidation-Reduction Activity Series

Final Report
Student Name Bader Alanazi
Student ID 179041
Lesson Oxidation-Reduction Activity Series
Institution Arkansas State University-Newport
Session Summer 2021 - D2-25
Course General Chemistry 2 Online
Instructor Ed Jones

Test Your Knowledge

1. Match each term with the best description.

Represents the charge an atom

would have if electrons were 1 Oxidation number
completely transferred

The loss of electrons by a

substance undergoing a 2 Oxidation
chemical reaction

Donates electrons 3 Reducing agent

Accepts electrons 4 Oxidizing agent

Reaction occurring when

electrons are transferred from 5 Oxidation-reduction
one reactant to another

The gain of electrons by a

substance undergoing a 6 Reduction
chemical reaction

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 2. Identify the statements as true or false.

True False

1 2

In a single displacement reaction, an Atoms move from lower energy to higher

element reacts with a compound and part energy locations during a chemical
of the compound is released to become a reaction.
free element.
Spectator ions are both oxidized and
An activity series is a list of metals from reduced during a chemical reaction.
most easily oxidized to least easily
oxidized.

Exploration

1. The oxidation number represents the charge an atom would have if

electrons were completely transferred.

True

False

2. Oxidation is the _____ of electrons by a substance undergoing a chemical

reaction. Reduction is the _____of electrons by a substance undergoing a
chemical reaction.

loss; gain

gain; loss

gain; gain

loss; loss

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 3. MgCl2 is composed of _____ magnesium ion(s) and _____ chloride ion(s).

2; 1

1; 2

1; 1

2; 2

4. Chromium is more active than gold.

True

False

Exercise 1

1. Define oxidation, reduction, and oxidation number. Describe how oxidation and reduction
affect the oxidation number of an element.

Oxidation is the loss of electrons by a substance undergoing a chemical reaction. During oxidation, the
oxidation number of the element increases and becomes more positive. Reduction is gain of electrons by a
substance undergoing a chemical reaction. During reduction, the oxidation number of the element decreases
and becomes more negative. Oxidation is a number assigned to an element in a compound. The number
enables us to describe oxidation –reduction reactions, and balancing chemical reaction. Oxidation number
increases when a reactant gets oxidized and when it gets reduced. 

2. Define oxidizing agent, reducing agent, and spectator ion.

Oxidizing agent: the reactant that accepts electrons and oxidizes another one participating in the reaction.
Reducing agent: the reactant that donates electron and reduces another one participating in the section.
Spectator ion: the reactant that does not get affected during the reaction.

3. In the reaction of copper and silver nitrate, a new substance appeared in the test tube.
Describe the physical appearance of the substance and identify its chemical formula.

The new substance appears moldy/foamy and small crystals formed. he Ag (reduced) starts precipitating
giving during the course of the reaction. The color of the solution turns blue and hair like crystals of silver are
formed.PThe new formula is Cu (NO3)2

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4. Given an activity series in which the most active metals are at the top of the list and the
least active metals are at the bottom of the list, would copper be listed above silver or would
silver be listed above copper? Support your answer with data from Data Table 1.

Copper would be more active than silver. Since copper is more active it will likely easily lose electrons to the
silver ions that will convert the silver ions into the silver metal. It is also indicated in Data Table 1 as the I
observed the solid change into a crystal moldy foam

5. Solid copper sulfide and silver nitrate react to form copper (II) nitrate and solid silver
sulfide. Write a balanced chemical equation that describes the reaction. Identify the
oxidation number of each element in the reaction. (You do not need to include the total
contribution of charge.) Is this reaction a redox reaction or a non-redox reaction? Explain
your answer.

Solid copper sulfide and silver nitrate react to form copper (II) nitrate and solid
silver sulfide.

The balanced chemical equation that describes the above reaction is as follows:

CuS + 2AgNO3 → Cu(NO3)2(aq)+Ag2S(s)

In the reaction, oxidation number of Cu is +2, oxidation number of S is -2, oxidation number of
Ag is +1 and the oxidation number of NO3- radical is -1 (oxidation number of N is +5 and
oxidation number of O is -2).

There is no increase or decrease in oxidation number in the reaction. Therefore it is not a

redox reaction (absence of oxidation and reduction ) and it is a non-redox reaction. The
reaction is double displacement reaction.

Data Table 1: Redox Reaction of Copper and Silver Nitrate

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Initial Copper is shiny thin squared metal ; silver nitrate is a clear liquid that seems li
Observations ke water.
before
Beginning    

Observations     The copper began to change color f rom bright shiny to a dull dark color, almo
st looked black.
Observations The copper f ormed crystals which look like mold and f oam mixed.
after 30 min    

Element that is Cu
Oxidized 

Element that is Ag
Reduced

Spectator Ion NO3

Oxidizing Agent Ag

Reducing Agent Cu

Photo 1: Chemical Equation for Redox of Copper and Silver Nitrate. Note: Copper has
a +2 oxidation number in the products.Silver has its expected oxidation number on
the reactons side.

No image or annotations

Exercise 2

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1. List each of the metals tested in Exercise 2. Indicate the oxidation number when each
element is pure and the oxidation number when each element is in a compound.

1. Cu oxidation number is zero

2. C0u + P+2b(NO3)2--------> +2Cu(NO3)2 + P0b

3. Cu0 + Z+2n(NO3)2 ----------> Cu+2(NO3)2 + Z0n

4. Pb0 oxidation number is zero

5. Pb 0+ Cu+2SO4 ---------> Pb+2SO4 + Cu0

6. Pb0 + Zn+2(NO3)2 -----------> Pb+2(NO3)2 +Zn0

7. Zn0 oxidaiton number is zero

8. Zn0 + Cu+2SO4-----------> Zn+2SO4 + Cu0

Zn + Pn+2(NO3)2--------------> Zn+2(NO3)2 + P0b

oxidation number of each metal in pure state and in compound form is show above accordingly

2. Which of the metals in Exercise 2 was the strongest oxidizing agent? Was there an
instance when this metal also acted as a reducing agent? Explain your answer using data
from Data Table 3.

Cu is strongest oxidising agent because when Pb reacts with CuSO4 it's oxidised Pb to +2 oxidation state by
forming PbSO4 same for Zn. Zn oxidised to Zn2+ by reacting with CuSO4 forming ZnSO4. And since elemental
Cu can't react with PbSO4 and ZnSO4 so it can't reduced zinc and lead so strongest oxidising agent also
because it has highest reduction potential 0.34V can easily gain electron so strongest oxidising agent.

No it can't act as reducing agent in zinc and lead because it has highest tendancy to gain electron so can't give
electrons to zinc and lead.

3. Which of the metals in Exercise 2 was the strongest reducing agent? Was there an
instance when this metal also acted as an oxidizing agent? Explain your answer using data
from Data Table 3.

Zn is strongest reducing agent because when Zn react with CuSO4 and PbSO4 it reduce both zinc and lead to
+0 oxidation state hence strongest reducing agent. Since Cu and Pb both can't replace Zinc from zinc nitrate
this also indicate zinc is strongest reducing agent also it has lowest reduction potential so less tge reduction
potential more stronger the reducing agent.

No Zinc don't act as a oxidising agent because it can't oxidised by lead and copper in Zn(NO3)2 solution.

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4. How does ease of oxidation correlate with activity? Do highly active metals tend to donate
electrons or accept electrons from other metals?

the activity of a metal is directly related to the oxidation tendency more is the activity of the metal more will
be oxidation tendency.
oxidation tendency
tendency of any metal to loose electron. alkali and alkaline earth metals are highly reactive hence they have
an oxidation tendency
Na----> Na+ +e-
Cr-----> Cr+ + e-
among alkali metals cesium easily gets oxidized

5. Create an activity series for copper, lead, and zinc. Place the most active metal at the top
of the list.

Zn> Pb> Cu this is the activity order of these metals

Data Table 2: Redox Reactions of Copper, Lead, and Zinc

Solid Metal Well ID Solution Immediate Observation 30 Minute Observation

Cu A1 Pb(NO3)2 none none

Cu A2 Zn(NO3)2     none none

Pb B1 CuSO4     lead went from shiny the lead surface has

with scrapes back to become shiny copper
a dark rusted lead colored
color

Pb B2 Zn(NO3)2 none none

Zn C1 CuSO4 copper crystals the zinc has been

immediately began completely engulfed
to form in copper crystals

Zn C2 Pb(NO3)2     lead crystals as with the copper

immediatly began to the lead has
form completely engulfed
the zinc piece

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 Data Table 3: Potential Redox Reactions and Chemical Equations

Metal and Metallic Solution  Reaction Occurred?

Cu + Pb(NO3)2     no

Cu + Zn(NO3)2 no

Pb + CuSO4 yes

Pb + Zn(NO3)2 no

Zn + CuSO4 yes

Zn + Pb(NO3)2 yes

Photo 2: Chemical Equations and Redox Numbers for Reactions

No image or annotations

Competency Review

1. The oxidation number is often referred to as the _____.

redox factor

oxidation state

spectator ion

reducing factor

2. A redox reaction occurs when electrons are transferred from one element to
another.

True

False

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3. Oxidation and reduction may occur alone in a chemical reaction.

True

False

4. When a substance is in its elemental form (existing alone without bonds to

other elements), the oxidation number is _____.

5. The sum of the oxidation numbers within a formula is equal to the overall
charge of the formula.

True

False

6. A spectator ion is _____ during a chemical reaction.

oxidized

reduced

both oxidized and reduced

neither oxidized nor reduced

7. During an oxidation-reduction experiment, why is it important to observe

the reaction after 30 minutes?

The solution and solid look different after 30 minutes than when the reaction begins.

The reaction requires time to complete.

Silver continues to precipitate for 30 minutes.

All of the above

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 8. In the redox reaction of silver nitrate (AgNO3) and solid copper (Cu), the
silver acts as a(n) _____.

oxidizing agent

reducing agent

spectator ion

All of the above

9. If during an experiment zinc was found to be more reactive than lead or

copper, zinc would be considered the strongest _____.

oxidizing agent

reducing agent

spectator ion

All of the above

Extension Questions

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1. Redox reactions occur in many everyday experiences. Three examples of common redox
reactions that everyone is familiar with are outlined below. Write the chemical equation for
each of these reactions and identify the oxidizing agent and the reducing agent.

Note: If needed, consult a web source to determine the reaction.

a. When silver jewelry or silverware tarnishes, it is reacting with S in the air to undergo
a redox reaction.

b. When someone leaves a screwdriver sitting outside and it rusts, the iron in the
screwdriver underwent a redox reaction.

c. The process of photosynthesis, which causes green plants to react with sunlight to
form oxygen, is an example of a redox reaction.

A) 2Ag(s) + H2S(g) -------> Ag2S(s) + H2(g)

Ag is oxidized and act as reducing agent

H2S is reduced and acts as oxidizing agent.

B) 4Fe + 6H2O + 3O2 --------> 2(Fe2O3.3H2O)

Fe - reducing agent ( and oxidized itself )

O2 - oxidizing agent ( and reduced itself)

C) 6CO2 + 6CO2 + sunlight ------> C6H12O6

CO2 ---- oxidizing agent, H2O is reducing agent.

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