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Lesson 1. 2

The document provides an overview of redox reactions, explaining oxidation and reduction processes along with rules for determining oxidation states. It details the half-reaction method for balancing redox reactions in acidic conditions, including step-by-step instructions for separating and balancing half-reactions. Examples are included to illustrate the balancing process.

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Selwyn Mark Rapesta
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7 views19 pages

Lesson 1. 2

The document provides an overview of redox reactions, explaining oxidation and reduction processes along with rules for determining oxidation states. It details the half-reaction method for balancing redox reactions in acidic conditions, including step-by-step instructions for separating and balancing half-reactions. Examples are included to illustrate the balancing process.

Uploaded by

Selwyn Mark Rapesta
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Electrochemistry

1-2: Balancing Redox Reactions (Acidic)

ES 10: Chemistry for Engineers

Cyhdar G. Racho

Note: These lecture slides are not meant to be published.


Redox Reactions
• Redox is short for oxidation-reduction
reactions

• Oxidation: loss of electrons


– Oxidation number increases
• Reduction: gain of electrons
– Oxidation number decreases (reduced)
Redox Reactions
• If we are given a chemical equation, how do
we know which chemical species underwent
oxidation and reduction? umbers!
ation n
We assign oxid
Rules (Recap)
1. Free elements: oxidation number is zero
• e.g. H2, O2, Na
2. Ions composed of only one atom: oxidation
number is same as charge on the ion
• e.g. O2-, Na+
3. Oxygen: -2 in most compounds, -1 in hydrogen
peroxide (H2O2) and peroxide ion (O22-)
4. Hydrogen: +1 in most compounds, -1 when
bonded to metals in binary compounds (LiH,
NaH)
Rules (Recap)
5. Fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine: -1
when occurring as halide ions
6. In a neutral molecule, sum of oxidation
numbers of all the atoms must be zero.
7. In a polyatomic ion, sum of oxidation
numbers of all the elements in the ion must
be equal to the net charge of the ion.
Redox Reactions
• If we are given a chemical equation, how do
we know which chemical species underwent
oxidation and reduction? umbers!
ation n
We assign oxid

0 0 +2 -2

Rule #1 Rule #1 Rule #6 Rule #3


Redox Reactions
• If we are given a chemical equation, how do
we know which chemical species underwent
oxidation and reduction? umbers!ation n
We assign oxid

0 0 +2 -2

As observed, the oxidation state of magnesium (Mg)


increased from 0 to +2.
Therefore, magnesium underwent oxidation.
Redox Reactions
• If we are given a chemical equation, how do
we know which chemical species underwent
oxidation and reduction? umbers!ation n
We assign oxid

0 0 +2 -2

Also, the oxidation state of oxygen (O) decreased


from 0 to -2.
Therefore, oxygen gas (O2) underwent reduction.
Redox Reactions
• Quick exercise! Determine the chemical
species that underwent oxidation and
reduction.

• Answer: H2 (g) underwent oxidation, while


Cl2 (g) underwent reduction.
Balancing Redox Reactions
g t h is m e t h o d only!
We will be usin
• Half-reaction method
• acidic The steps will slightl
y differ
• basic depending on the me
dium in which
the redox reactions a
re occurring.

• E.g. Balance the equation showing the


oxidation of Fe2+ ions to Fe3+ ions by
dichromate ions (Cr2O72-) in an acidic
medium. As a result, the Cr2O72- ions are
reduced to Cr3+ ions.
Balancing Redox Reactions
1. Write the unbalanced equation for the reaction
in ionic form.

2. Separate the equation into two half-reactions.


Increased! sign
on. +2 To check, let’s as
Therefore, oxidati +3
oxidation numbe
rs!
Oxidation:
+6 -2 +3
Reduction:
Decreased!
2x + 7(-2) = -2
Therefore, reduction.
x = +6
Balancing Redox Reactions
3. Balance each half-reaction.
a) Non-H, non-O atoms
atom
One (1) iron (Fe)
on both sides:
Balanced!
Two (2) chromium (Cr)
atoms on the left side,
one on the right.
To balanc
e the Cr
atoms, we
add the
coefficien
t 2 on the
right side
.
Balancing Redox Reactions
3. Balance each half-reaction.
a) Non-H, non-O atoms
b) O atoms: add H2O e, so
No O on either sid
O.
no need to add H 2

There is an excess of
7 O atoms on the left
side, so we add
7 H2O on the right side.
Balancing Redox Reactions
3. Balance each half-reaction.
c) H atoms: add H+
e, so
No H on either sid +
.
no need to add H

There is an excess of
14 H atoms on the right
side, so we add
14 H+ on the left side.
Balancing Redox Reactions
3. Balance each half-reaction.
c) H atoms: add H+
tal
Determine the to
d) Charge: add electrons (e-) charge on either
side of
the equation.

+2 +3 -1
+2
Since the righ
t side is
more positive
, we add
one electron o
n the
right side to b
alance
the charge.
Balancing Redox Reactions
3. Balance each half-reaction. Since the left
side is
more positive
c) H atoms: add H+ six electrons
, we add
on the
left side to ba
lance the
d) Charge: add electrons (e-) charge.

6(-1) -2 14(+1) 2(+3) 7(0)

+12
+6 +6
Balancing Redox Reactions
4. Add the two half-reactions.
• The electrons on both sides must cancel out.
Balancing Redox Reactions
4. Add the two half-reactions.
• The electrons on both sides must cancel.
5. Verify.
• Atomically and electrically balanced.

6 6
2 2

7 7
14 14
6 × (+2) + (-2) + 14 × (+1) 6 × (+3) + 2 × (+3) + 7 × (0)
24 24
Examples
• Balance the following equation for the
reaction in an acidic medium.

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