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Chapter 20: Oxidation-Reduction Reactions

Lesson 20.3: Describing Redox Equations

- One class of chemical reactions is oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions, in which electrons are
transferred from one reacting species to another.
- The other class includes all other reactions, in which no electron transfer occurs.

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- Two different methods for balancing redox equations are the oxidation-number-change method
and the half-reaction method.
oxidation-number-change method

- In the oxidation-number-change method, you balance a redox equation by comparing the

increases and decreases in oxidation numbers.

Step 1: Assign oxidation numbers to all the atoms in the equation. Write the numbers above the
atoms.

Step 2: Identify which atoms are oxidized and which are reduced.

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Step 3: Use one bracketing line to connect the atoms that undergo oxidation and another such
line to connect those that undergo reduction.

Step 4: Make the total increase in oxidation number equal to the total decrease in oxidation
number by using appropriate coefficients

Step 5: Finally, make sure the equation is balanced for both atoms and charge. If necessary,
finish balancing the equation by inspection

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half-reaction method.
- The second method for balancing redox equations involves the use of half-reactions.
- A half-reaction is an equation showing just the oxidation or just the reduction that takes place in
a redox reaction.
- In the half-reaction method, you write and balance the oxidation and reduction half-reactions
separately before combining them into a balanced redox equation.
- The procedure is different, but the out-come is the same as with the oxidation-number-change
method.

Step 1: Write the unbalanced equation in ionic form.

Step 2: Write separate half-reactions for the oxidation and reduction processes.

Step 3: Balance the atoms in the half-reactions.

a. Balance the oxidation half-reaction. Sulfur is already balanced in the half-reaction,

b. Balance the reduction half-reaction.

Step 4: Add enough electrons to one side of each half-reaction to balance the charges.

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Step 5: Multiply each half-reaction by an appropriate number to make the numbers of electrons
equal in both.

Step 6: Add the balanced half-reactions to show an overall equation.

Step 7: Add the spectator ions and balance the equation.

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Mr. Mohamed Elhassan Cell phone: 0537145737 Chemistry