Name: ____________________________________________________________ Date: ___________________

Section: ___________
Reduction /Oxidation Chemical Reactions Qualitative /Quantitative Investigation

Objective
 To have a better understanding of Reduction/Oxidation (RedOx) reactions.
 Practice writing and balancing chemical reactions.
 Stoichiometry

Safety Issues
 Acids
 Heavy Metals

Double Displacement
Double displacement reactions are among the most common of the simple chemical reactions.
(They really do not exist per say, but mostly used as a method to help determine if a chemical
reaction took place.)

In each part, of this, experiment two aqueous solutions, each containing positive and negative ions,
will be mixed in a test tube. Consider the hypothetical reaction.
AB (aq)+ CD(aq) → AD(aq) + CB(s)

Evidence of Reaction & Reaction Types

There are really only about three types of reactions that occur in aqueous solution. (If you don’t
know what an aqueous solution is, please research it before starting the lab.)

Reaction Types:
1. Precipitation (abv. PPT)
 Evidence of reaction: Solid is formed
 Prediction of reaction: Use of solubility/precipitation table
2. Acid/Base (abv. A/B)
 Evidence of reaction: Heat change or bubbles given off (typically)
 Prediction of reaction: Use of Acid/Base theories and/or production of liquid, gas, or
weak electrolyte.
3. Reduction and Oxidation (abv. REDOX)
 Physical Evidence of reaction: Numerous
 “Paper” Evidence of reaction: Change in oxidation number of particular atoms.
 Prediction of reaction: Use of reduction potential tables and calculating a overall
positive value for the voltage of the reaction.

Chemical Reactions - Page 1 of 10

Written by A. Ricardez and C. Kim
Name: ____________________________________________________________ Date: ___________________
Section: ___________
Chemical Reactions – Prelab Questions

1. Provide definitions for the following terms:

a. Oxidation State (number)

b. Reduction

c. Oxidation

2. What is the oxidation state of iron in Fe(NH4)2(SO4)26H2O?

3. Write a balanced net ionic equation for the reaction which occurs when MnO4- reacts with a
solution prepared from C2O42- in acidic solution.
MnO4-(aq) + C2O42-(aq)  CO2(g) + Mn2+(aq)

Chemical Reactions - Page 2 of 10

Written by A. Ricardez and C. Kim
Name: ____________________________________________________________ Date: ___________________
Section: ___________
Oxidation-Reduction Reactions – Introduction
Oxidation-reduction reactions are very common and take many forms. Reactions is which
elemental substances combine to form a compound or in which compounds are decomposed to
elemental substances (or simpler compounds) are REDOX reactions. The reaction of metallic
substances with acids, or with corrosive gases, and the reaction of many species in solution are all
examples of oxidation-reduction processes. All of these reactions involve the transfer of electrons
from one substance to another, thereby changing the oxidation state (“charge”) of two elements.

An easy way to demonstrate REDOX reactions is through the use of Single Displacement reactions.
Single Displacement reactions take the form as follows, where one substance comes in (C) and
replaces (A) or (B) through the transfer of electrons.
AB + C  AC + B
or
AB + C  CB + A

RedOx reactions can also be used to complete common stoichiometry problems. The process of
titration may be used for the standardization of solutions of oxidizing and/or reducing agents,
provided a suitable method for observing the endpoint of the reaction is available. When potassium
permanganate, KMnO4, is used as a titrant, the endpoint is easily apparent. The intensely purple
colored MnO4- in acidic solution produces the manganese(II) ion, which is very pale pink in color,
but dilute solutions are practically colorless. Thus, as MnO4- is initially added to a solution of a
colorless reactant, the resulting solution will remain essentially colorless. After excess MnO4- has
been added, the solution will have a pink color.
In this experiment, you will prepare or given a dilute solution of MnO4- and standardize it by
titration with an acidified solution of ferrous ammonium sulfate hexahydrate, Fe(NH4)2(S04)2•6H2O.
During standardization, MnO4- reacts very rapidly at room temperature with iron(II) in acidic
solution to produce solutions of manganese(II) and iron(III). You will then use your standardized
solution of MnO4- to analyze a mixture of sodium oxalate, Na2C2O4, and a second component,
potassium sulfate, K2S04, which does not react with MnO4-. The oxalate ion reacts slowly in dilute
acidic solutions with MnO4- to produce carbon dioxide and manganese(II) ion. Since this reaction is
slow at room temperature, the solution containing the oxalate ion will be heated and titrated at
55C. In addition, the rate of reaction will be enhanced by the formation of manganese(II) because
manganese(II) is an autocatalyst. In autocatalysis, a product of the reaction acts as a catalyst of the
reaction. By knowing the balanced chemical equation and the number of moles of MnO4- which
react, the number of moles of oxalate ion and the number of moles of sodium oxalate can be
calculated. The number of moles of sodium oxalate can, in turn, be used to calculate the percent
composition by mass of sodium oxalate in the unknown mixture.

Chemical Reactions - Page 3 of 10

Written by A. Ricardez and C. Kim
Name: ____________________________________________________________ Date: ___________________
Section: ___________
Part A - Procedure – Single Replacement – REDOX Reactions

Metal plus salt(aq) and metal plus aqueous acid

1. Place six clean small test tubes in a rack and number them 1-6. To each, add about 2 mL of
the solutions listed below. (Note: 20 drops = ~1 mL)
2. Obtain a small piece of the metals. Add the metals to the test tubes with the solutions as
listed.
a. Silver nitrate + Copper strip.
b. Copper (II) nitrate + Lead strip
c. Lead nitrate + Zn strip
d. Magnesium sulfate + Zinc strip
e. Dilute (3M) sulfuric acid + Zinc strip
f. Do this under the hood. concentrated nitric acid + a small piece of Cu (5 cm make a
little ball)
3. Write the balance equation for each of the reactions and complete the following table for
each of the reactions.

Disposal / Cleanup: Dispose of the waste down in the supplied waste container. Rinse all Metal
pieces twice with tap water and twice with deionized water and place on tray. Rinse all glassware
twice with tap water and twice with deionized water and discard in the sink.

Chemical Reactions - Page 4 of 10

Written by A. Ricardez and C. Kim
Name: ____________________________________________________________ Date: ___________________
Section: ___________
Part A - Data – Single Replacement – REDOX Reaction

Write the balance equation for each of the reactions and complete the following table for each of the
reactions. If there is no reaction write, “No Rxn.”

Reaction Overall Balanced Reaction Evidence/Observation

Chemical Reactions - Page 5 of 10

Written by A. Ricardez and C. Kim
Name: ____________________________________________________________ Date: ___________________
Section: ___________
Part B1 – Standardization of KMnO4 Solution

1) Make your Diluted KMnO4 solution in the 500 mL

Florence flask (Note: you may be given pre-diluted
KMnO4, therefore skip to Step 2)
a) Add 25 mL of the concentrated KMnO4 solution
to the Florence flask
b) Add 375 mL of H2O to the Florence flask
c) Mix well
2) Setup one buret and fill with the Diluted KMnO4
3) To an Erlenmeyer flask add:
a) ~0.70 g of Fe(NH4)2(SO4)2·6H2O (FAS)
b) 30 mL of H2O
c) 10 mL of 3 M H2SO4
4) Using the KMnO4 buret
a) Record the initial volume.
b) While swirling the Erlenmeyer flask, add KMnO4
until the lightest shade of pink is obtained.
c) Record the final volume.
5) Repeat Steps 3 through 4 until the numbered of desired
trails are completed refilling the buret each time.

Disposal / Cleanup: Dispose of the waste in the supplied waste container. Rinse all glassware
twice with tap water and twice with deionized water and discard in the sink.

*** If there is a time constraint, you may be asked to complete only one trail or be given the
appropriate data to be used. Ask your professor what you will be doing. ***

Chemical Reactions - Page 6 of 10

Written by A. Ricardez and C. Kim
Name: ____________________________________________________________ Date: ___________________
Section: ___________
Part B1 – Standardization of KMnO4
Part B1 - Data Run 1 Run 2 Run 3 Run 4
Mass of
Fe(NH4)2(SO4)2·6H2O
Initial Volume of
KMnO4 in Buret
(mL)
Final Volume of
KMnO4 in Buret
(mL)

PART A - Run 1 Run 2 Run 3 Run 4

Calculations
Mols of
Fe(NH4)2(SO4)2·6H2O

Mols of Fe2+ Used

Mols of MnO4- Used

Mols of KMnO4 Used

Volume of KMnO4
Used

Molarity of KMnO4

Average Molarity of
KMnO4

Chemical Reactions - Page 7 of 10

Written by A. Ricardez and C. Kim
Name: ____________________________________________________________ Date: ___________________
Section: ___________
Part B2 – Determination of the % of Na2C2O4 in an Unknown

1) Write down unknown number you have.

2) Setup one buret and fill with the Diluted KMnO4
3) To an Erlenmeyer flask add:
a) ~0.25 g of UNKNOWN
b) 30 mL of H2O
c) 10 mL of 3 M H2SO4
4) Heat up the sample in the Erlenmeyer flask directly over
the bunsen burner flame to 55C.
5) Using the KMnO4 buret QUICKLY
a) Record the initial volume.
b) While swirling the Erlenmeyer flask, add KMnO4
until the lightest shade of pink is obtained.
c) Record the final volume.
6) Repeat Steps 3 through 4 until the numbered of desired
trails are completed refilling the buret each time.

Disposal / Cleanup: Dispose of the waste down in the supplied waste container. Rinse all
glassware twice with tap water and twice with deionized water and discard in the sink.

*** If there is a time constraint, you may be asked to complete only one or two trail(s) or be given
the appropriate data to be used. Ask your professor what you will be doing. ***

Chemical Reactions - Page 8 of 10

Written by A. Ricardez and C. Kim
Name: ____________________________________________________________ Date: ___________________
Section: ___________
Part B2 – Determination of the Percentage of Na2C2O4 in an Unknown
Part B2 - Data Run 1 Run 2 Run 3 Run 4

Unknown #

Mass of
Unknown Used
(g)
Initial Volume of
KMnO4 in Buret
(mL)
Final Volume of
KMnO4 in Buret
(mL)

PART B - Run 1 Run 2 Run 3 Run 4

Calculations
Average Molarity
of KMnO4 - (Part
A)
Volume of
KMnO4 Used

Mols of KMnO4
Used

Mols of MnO4-
Used

Mols of C2O42- in
unknown

Mols of Na2C2O4
in unknown

Mass of Na2C2O4
in unknown
% of Na2C2O4 in
unknown (by
mass)
Average % of
Na2C2O4 in
unknown (by
mass)

Chemical Reactions - Page 9 of 10

Written by A. Ricardez and C. Kim
Name: ____________________________________________________________ Date: ___________________
Section: ___________
Chemical Reactions – Postlab Questions

1. What substance was oxidized in test tube f, during the REDOX section of the lab?

2. What substance was the oxidizing agent in test tube a, during the REDOX section of the lab?

3. How will the following experimental error influence the calculated percent by mass of
Na2C2O4 in your unknown? Justify your answer. You heated the Na2C2O4 solution to 75C for
15 minutes before titration with the KMnO4 solution.

Chemical Reactions - Page 10 of 10

Written by A. Ricardez and C. Kim