Northern Philippines College for Maritime, Science and Technology

Mc. Arthur Highway, Lingsat, City of San Fernando, La Union

HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
GENERAL CHEMISTRY 2

Name: Score:
Section:

General
Chemistry 2
Quarter 4 – Week 5 - Module 5
Redox Reactions

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 TARGET

We are now in a current generation where digital learning is

encouraged for a better learning process and is accomplished through the use of
gadgets What gadget is not powered by batteries or a cell function? Likewise, we
often encounter antioxidants as popular products today and the marketability is
high for the marketers use the ability of their products to effectively prevent and
counteract the effects of oxidant pollutants in the environment. Furthermore,
everyday redox reactions occur like photosynthesis, respiration, combustion and
corrosion.
The principles behind the creation of these electrochemical reactions, are
bounded into the branch of chemistry which is electrochemistry. It is a study of the
relationship between electron flow and redox reactions. It is concerned with the
study of chemical reactions that either produce or are driven by electrical energy.

This module serves as an introduction for a better understanding of the

electrochemical reactions mentioned. It is best therefore, to start with a discussion
of oxidation reduction reactions.
After going through this module, you are expected to:
1) Define oxidation and reduction. (STEM_GC11ABIVf-g-169)
2) Identify the substance which is reduced and oxidized in
chemical equation
3) Determine whether the chemical reaction is a redox reaction
4) Balance redox reactions using the change in oxidation number
method. (STEM_GC11ABIVf-g-170)

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 JUMPSTART

Oxidation and reduction always occur simultaneously. This means that if one
substance is oxidized, another substance must be reduced. The term oxidation was
first introduced when Antoine Lavoisier discovered oxygen and proposed the
theory of combustion. Combination between any substance and oxygen has since
been described as an oxidation process. By the turn of 20th century, it was
noted that the oxidation process always seemed to involve loss of electrons.
Consequently, the accompanying process which involves gaining of electrons is
called reduction.

In the illustration
provided it can be observed
that the reactant, an electron,
was removed from the reactant
A, and this reactant is
oxidized. Similarly, reactant B
was handed an electron and was
therefore reduced. The loss of
electrons and the
corresponding increase in the
oxidation state of a given reactant is called oxidation. The gain of electrons and the
corresponding decrease in the oxidation state of a reactant is called reduction.

REMEMBER!!!

"Redox" is a word coined from two chemical terms:

Reduction – species gain electrons
Oxidation – species lose electrons

OIL RIG
Oxidation is loss Reduction is gain

Hence, redox is viewed as a reaction involving the transfer of electrons

from the atom that is oxidized to the atom that is reduced. If one species gains
electrons, another species (or more than one species) must lose electrons. Observe
the equation below, the electron transfer that takes place in the reaction where Zn
gives up 2 electrons and becomes Zn +2 and in turn, Cu+2 is converted to Cu0 upon
gaining 2 electrons.

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 Although reduction and oxidation take place simultaneously, it is often
convenient to consider them as separate processes and can be presented as two
half reactions. Hence this reduction may be written as:

Cu2+(aq) + 2e- → Cu(s) Zn(s) → Zn2+(aq) + 2e-

Reduction of Cu2+(aq) Oxidation of Zn (s)

Furthermore, the substance that makes it possible for another substance to

be oxidized is called the oxidizing agent or oxidant. The oxidizing agent requires the
electrons from another substance, causing it to be reduced. On the other hand, the
reducing agent or reductant is oxidized in the process by giving up its electrons to
the substance it will reduce.
For example:
2Mg(s) + O2( g) → 2MgO(s)

In the burning of Mg , O2 is reduced by losing oxygen atoms. Thus,

O2 is an oxidizing agent as it undergoes reduction.

4NH3 + 5O2 → 4NO + 6H2O

In the given reaction, Nitrogen is oxidized to NO by gaining oxygen atom. Thus, NH3
is reducing agent as it undergoes oxidation.

REMEMBER!!!

Oxidizing agent – substance reduced; undergoes a decrease in oxidation number

Reducing agent – substance oxidized; undergoes an increase in oxidation number

DON’T INTERCHANGE!!! The substance that is reduced in a reaction is the

oxidizing agent because it gains electrons. The substance that is oxidized in a
reaction is the reducing agent because it lost electrons.

For you to understand better about the oxidizing agent and reduction
agent, the activity below is given to test and further widen your knowledge about
the said topic.
Determine whether the underlined element is oxidized or reduced in a
given partial equation and state if it is an oxidizing agent or a reducing agent
1. H2O2 → O2
2. KBrO3 → KBr
3. Fe + FeSO4 → Fe2(SO4)3
4. Na2C2O4 → CO2
5. I2 → KI

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 DISCOVER

Oxidation Number is a concept that helps in determining quickly whether the

substance is undergoing oxidation or reduction. Other terms used to refer to
oxidation number is valence or oxidation state. Oxidation states is the electrical
charge assigned to an atom according to a prescribed set of rules. It can be
computed directly from the formula itself based on the following guidelines:

1. The oxidation state of a free and uncombined element is zero. E.g. Mg 0, H20,
S80, C0.
2. The usual oxidation state of:
a. Hydrogen is +1, except in metallic hydrides ( Li+1, H-1 )
b. Oxygen is -2, except in peroxides where it is -1 ( H2-1 , O2-1 )
c. Elements under group IA is +1, IIA is +2, and IIIA is +3.( Na+1, Mg+2,
Al+3)
3. In a compound, the algebraic sum of the total positive and negative
oxidation number is always equal to zero.
Example: In KClO3, the oxidation state of K = +1 and O = -2
Let x = oxidation state of Cl
Upon substitution: +1 + x + (3) (-2) = 0
+1 + x – 6 = 0
X = +5
4. The algebraic sum of the positive and negative oxidation states of all atoms
in ion is equal to the charge of the ion.
Example: In ClO3-1, the oxidation state of O is -2
Let x = oxidation state of Cl
Upon substitution: x – (3) (-2) = -1
x + 6 = -1
x = +5

Note that the oxidation number of Cl, whether it is in the compound KClO3,
or in ClO3-1 ion is the same as, +5.

To determine whether the chemical reaction is an oxidation reduction

reaction, assign the oxidation state of each element and find out if there are
elements that undergo changes in oxidation number.

Balancing Redox Reactions

There are two ways of balancing oxidation reductions reactions. The first method is
based on the change in oxidation number while the second method is the ion-
electron method.

A. Balancing by oxidation number method

Given equation :
Fe2O3(s)+CO(g)→Fe(s)+CO2(g)

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Step 1: Assign the oxidation numbers of the elements in the chemical equation,

Fe2O3(s) + CO(g) → Fe(s) + CO2(g)

Oxidation numbers: +3 -2 +2 -2 0 +4 -2

Step 2: Determine which elements undergo changes in oxidation state. There

are two elements that undergo changes in oxidation state, C and Fe.

Step 3: Determine the total increase and decrease in oxidation number or total
number of electrons lost and gained. From C+2 to C+4, oxidation number
increaed by 2 per C or 2 electrons lost. From Fe+3 to Fe0, oxidation number
decreased by 3 per Fe, but since there are 2Fe involved, indicated by the
subscript of Fe, total decrease is 2 x 3 = 6 or 6 electrons gained.

Step 4: Equalize the increase and decrease in oxidation number or total

electrons lost and gained by figuring out the proper multiplier which will
become the new coefficients in the chemical equation.
For the sample equation, equalize electrons lost and 3 electrons gained.
To do this, multiply by the lowest possible integers or multipliers that will gve
the same product. The multipliers become the coefficients.

Step 5: Finish balancing by counting the number of atoms of each elemnt then
adjusting the coefficients until the same number of atoms are found on both
sides of the equation. Usually oxygen is counted last. The balanced equation is,

Balanced equation :
Fe2O3(s)+3CO(g)→2Fe(s)+3CO2(g)

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 EXPLORE

The following practice problems are prepared for you to

polish and enrich your understanding in determining the oxidizing state of
elements and further widen your understanding about the differences between
an oxidizing agent and a reducing agent.

Good Luck and Have Fun!

Exercise:
I. Assign oxidation state to the underlined element.

1) Cl2
2) SO 2 6) Na2S2O3
3) K2O2 7) NaN3
4) Cr2O7 -2 8) CH4
5) Na2O2 9) Fe203
10) MnO2

II. Identify oxidizing agent and reducing agent in the reactions.

1. 2Na2S2O3 + I2 → Na2S4O6 + 2NaI

2. N2 + 3H2 → 2NH3

3. 2FeCl3 + H2S → 2FeCl2 + S + 2HCl

4. 2 Cr3+ +H2O+ 6ClO3- → Cr2O72- +6ClO2 + 2H+

5. 3Mg + N2 → Mg3N2