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OXIDATION – REDUCTION (REDOX) REACTIONS

Examples of REDOX reactions are the following:

 Combustion reaction
 Reactions that generate electricity in batteries
 Reaction that produce cellular energy in cells

In oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions – is the net movement of electrons from one reactant to the
other. This movement of electrons occurs from the reactant (or atom in the reactant) with less
attraction for electrons to the reactant (or atom) with more attraction for electrons.
Illustration:
Mg( s) + O2( g) → MgO( s )

Reduction – a process in which electrons are gained

Oxidation – a process in which electrons are lost.

12 Mg : 1s 2 2s 2 2 p6 3s 2 so the valence e
−
is 2. Then Mg will give up the 2e
−
to become stable
10 Ne
−
to reach the configuration of , which is a stable configuration. Because Mg lost e it is
oxidized, and therefore O is the oxidizing agent.
2 2 4
8O : 1s 2 s 2 p − −
so the valence e is 6. Then O will accept the 2e from Mg in order for O to
10 Ne
−
become stable and will also reach the configuration of . Because O gained e then O is
reduced, and therefore Mg is a reducing agent.

Rules in assigning oxidation number:

General rules:
1. For atoms in its elemental form (like: 2 Na, O ,Cl , etc )
2, , the O.N.= 0
2. For monoatomic ion: O.N. = charge of the ion
3. The sum of the O.N. values for the atoms in a molecule or formula unit of a compound equals
zero. The sum of the O.N. values for the atoms in a polyatomic ion equals the charge of the ion.

Rules for Specific Atoms or Periodic Table Groups

1. For Group IA (1) O.N. = 1+ in all compounds
2. For Group IIA (2) O.N. = 2+ in all compounds
3. For hydrogen O.N. = 1+ in combination with non-metals
O.N. = 1- in combination with metals and boron
4. For Fluorine O.N. = 1- in all compounds
5. For Oxygen O.N. = 2- in all other compounds (except with peroxide where it is 1-
and the superoxides where it is ½- like
KO 2 and the compounds of O with F forming
O2 F2 and OF 2 where the O.N. of O is 1+ and 2+ respectively )
6. For Group 7A(17) O.N. = 1- in combination with metals, nonmetals (except O) and other
halogens lower in the group.
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Illustration: Write the oxidation number of the underlined elements.

(1)
H2O (water)
(2)
S O2 (sulfur dioxide)
(3)
H N O3 (nitric acid)
(4)
C12 H 22 O11 (cane sugar or sucrose)

(5) H P O2−
4 (hydrogen phosphate ion)
1-
(6) H 2 PO 4 (dihydrogen phosphate ion)

Assigning oxidation number in a chemical reaction:

CaO( s) + CO 2 ( g) → CaCO 3( s )
(1)

2+ 2− 4+ 2− 2+ 4+ 2−
Ca O + C O 2 → Ca C O 3 therefore this reaction is not redox because there are no
changes in the oxidation numbers of the elements.

KNO 3( s) ⃗Δ K 2 O( s) + N 2( g) + O2( g )
(2)

1+ 5+ 2− 1+ 2− 0 0
K N O 3 ⃗Δ K 2 O + N 2 + O 2

0
1+ 5+ 2− 1+ 5+ 2− 1+ 2− 0
11 11 55
(6 K N O3 + 5 K N O3 ⃗
Δ K2 O + N + O2 ) 4
2 2 2 4
Lost 2e/atom x 3 atoms = 6ex 5= 30
Gain 5e/atom x 1 atom = 5e x6 = 30

In balancing redox; No. of electrons lost = No. of electrons gained

( 44 K N O3 ⃗Δ 22 K 2 O + 22 N 2 + 55 O2 ) ÷ 11
But the coefficient of the equation is divisible by 11:

4 K N O3 ⃗Δ 2 K 2 O + 2 N 2 + 5 O2

(3)
NaHSO4 (aq ) + NaOH ( aq) → Na2 SO4 (aq ) + H 2 O(l)
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First you assign an oxidation for each element in the equation.

1+ 1+ 1+ 2− 1+ 1+ 1+ 2−
2− 2−
Na H ( SO 4 ) + Na O H (aq ) → Na2 ( SO 4 ) + H2 O
The reaction is not redox because the elements involved did not change its oxidation no.

Balance the following redox reactions and identify the reducing and oxidizing agents:

Al ( s ) + H 2 SO4 (aq ) → Al 2 ( SO 4 ) 3 (aq ) + H 2 (g )

(1)
(2) PbO( s ) + CO ( g) → Pb(s ) + CO 2 (g )
Cu(s ) + HNO3 (aq ) → Cu ( NO 3 )2 (aq ) + NO 2 ( g ) + H 2 O(l)
(3)