OXIDATION AND REDUCTION (redox)
gaining 2e-
Redox reaction
- electrons are transferred from one
substance to another
LEO GER
Loss of Electrons is Oxidation
Gain of Electrons is Reduction
In general,
METALS lose e- to form positive ions (cations)
NONMETALS gain e- to form negative ions (anions)
In terms of REDOX,
- atoms of a METAL are OXIDIZED
- atoms of a NONMETAL are REDUCED
Ex. Ionic Compound: CaS (Calcium Sulfide)
Ca(s) + S(s) → CaS(s)
metal nonmetal Ionic Compound
Calcium atom loses 2e- to form Ca ion (Ca+2)
Ca is
oxidized
Ca → Ca+2+ 2e- Oxidation: loss of e- by Ca
Sulfur atom gains 2e- to form Sulfide ion (S -2)
S is reduced
S + 2e- → S-2 Reduction: gain of e- by S
Therefore, the formation of CaS involves 2
reactions that occur simultaneously, one an
Oxidation and the other a Reduction.
Ca(s) + S(s) → Ca+2 + S -2 = CaS(s)
Every time a reaction involves a REDOX, the
no. of e- lost is equal to the number of e- gained
For Single Replacement Reactions
Zn(s) + CuSO(4) (aq) → ZnSO4 (aq) + Cu(s)
In this reaction,
- Zn atoms undergo oxidation to form Zn+2
ions by losing 2e-
- Zn(s) → Zn+2 (aq) + 2 e- Oxidation of Zn
- Cu+2 ions undergo reduction to Cu atoms by
Cu(aq)+2 + 2e- → Cu(s) Reduction of Cu
- The SO4 -2 ions are spectator ions and don’t
change
Sample Problems:
Determine if each of the following is an oxidation-
reduction reaction (redox).
a. Ca(s) + Cl2(g) → CaCl 2(aq)
Yes.
A Ca atom loses 2e- to form a Ca+2 ion;
Ca is Oxidized. (Ca → Ca+2 + 2e-)
Each Cl atom in Cl2 gains one e- to form a Cl-1
ion; Cl2 is reduced (Cl2 + 2e- → 2Cl-)
b. 2Mg(s) + O2(g) → 2MgO(s)
Yes.
A Mg atom loses e- to form a Mg+2 ion;
Mg is Oxidized. (Mg → Mg+2 + 2 e-)
Each O atom in O2 gains two e- to form an
O-2 ion; O2 is reduced (O2 + 4 e- → 2O-2)
c. BaCl2 (aq) + Na2CO3 (aq) →
Ba CO3 (s) + 2NaCl (aq)
No.
Ba+2 (aq) + 2Cl-1 (aq) + 2Na+2 (aq) + CO3-2(aq) →
Ba+2 CO3-2(s) + 2Na+1(aq) + 2Cl-1(aq)
There is no transfer of e- in this
Double Replacement Reaction
Identifying Oxidation – Reduction
using Oxidation Numbers
 Oxidation numbers can be used to
identify what is oxidized and what is
reduced in a reaction
 In an oxidation, the loss of e- increases
the oxidation No. so that it is higher
(more positive) in the product than in the
reactant
 In reduction, the gain of e- decreases the
oxidation no. so that it is lower (more
negative) in the product than in the
reactant
Reduction: oxidation no. decreases
-7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +6 +7 increases by 2: Zn is oxidized

Oxidation: oxidation no. increases

Zn(S) + CuCl2(aq) → ZnCl2(aq) + Cu(s)
Oxidation 0 +2 -1 +2 -1 0
If the oxidation no. of the substance increases
from the reactant to the product
decreases by 2: Cu is reduced
Reduction
If the oxidation no. of the substance decreases from
the reactant to the product

Example:
increases by 1: H is oxidized
Balancing Redox Equations
I. USING OXIDATION NUMBER
CO2(g) + H2(g) → CO(g) + H2O(g)
Step 1. Assign Ox. Nos. to all the elements.
+4 -2 0 +2 -2 +1 -2
Example:

decreases by 2: C is reduced
FeO(S) + Cl(S) → Fe(S) + CO2(g)
In H2, H is oxidized because its Ox No. +2 -2 0 0 +4 -2
increases from 0 in the reactant to +1 in the Step 2. Identify the oxidized and reduced elements
product. from the changes in oxidation numbers
In CO2, C is reduced because its Ox No.
increases by 2: C is oxidized
decreases from +4 to +2

By accepting e-, CO2 is the oxidizing agent, and FeO(S) + C(S) → Fe(S) + CO2(g)
H2 is the reducing agent +2 -2 0 0 +4 -2
because it provides e-.
decreases by 2: Fe is reduced
Sample Problem:
Identifying Oxidized and Reduced Substances Step 3. Multiply the changes in oxidation numbers
by small integers to equalize the increase and
decrease.
a. PbO(S) + CO(g) →Pb(S) + CO2(g)
Fe needs a multiplying factor of 2 to equalize the
increases by 2: C is oxidized
increase and decrease of oxidation nos.

PbO(S) + CO(g) →Pb(S) + CO2(g) Equalizing changes in Oxidation Numbers

+2 -2 +2 -2 0 +4 -2 Ox Nos. Change Multiplying Total
Factor
Oxidation : 4
decreases by 2: Pb is reduced
C (0) → C (+4) (increase) x1 4
Reduction: 2
Fe (+2) → Fe (0) (decrease) x2 4
b. 2Fe(S) + 3Cl2(g) →2FeCl3(S)
Step 5.The Multiplying Factor of 2 is used as a
increases by 3: Fe is oxidized coefficient for FeO and Fe. The coefficient of 1 from
the multiplying factor for C and CO2 is understood
2Fe(S) + 3Cl2(g) →2FeCl3(S)
0 0 +3 -1 Balanced Redox Equation:

decreases by 1: Cl is reduced
2FeO(s) + C(s) → 2Fe(s) + CO2(g)
c. Zn(S) + CuCl2(aq) → ZnCl2(aq) + Cu(s)