Chapter 7

electrochemist
ry
Instructions for use

2
Oxidation Numbers
✗ The oxidation numbers (also known as oxidation state) is a
number given to each atom or ion in a compound to keep track
of how many electrons they have

✗ In a single ion or molecular ion, the oxidation number tells us

how many electrons have been lost or gained

✗ Positive oxidation number = loss of electrons

✗ Negative oxidation number = gain of electrons

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 Oxidation number
rules
The oxidation number (ox.no.) refers to a
single atom in a compound
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Worked example: Deducing oxidation numbers

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 Answer

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 Redox Reactions
Balancing Redox Reactions
• Oxidation numbers can be used to balance
chemical equations

• Roman numerals between brackets are used to

show the ox. no. of an atom that can have
multiple oxidation states, eg:

• Fe(III) = iron with ox. no. +3

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Worked example: Writing overall
redox reactions

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Answer

Step 1: Write the unbalanced equation and identify the atoms which change in ox. no.

Step 2: Deduce the ox.no. changes

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Step 3: Balance the ox.no. changes

Step 4: Balance the charges

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Step 5: Balance the atoms
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Redox & Disproportionation
Reactions• Oxidation is the gain of oxygen, eg:
Cu + H2O → CuO + H2
Oxidation (Cu has gained an oxygen and is oxidised)

• Oxidation is also the loss of a hydrogen, eg:

2NH3 + 3Br2 → N2 + 6HBr
(N has lost a hydrogen and is oxidised)

• Oxidation is also the loss of electrons, eg:

Cu2+ → Mg → Mg2+ + Cu
(Mg has lost two electrons and is oxidised)

• Oxidation causes an increase in ox. no., eg:

Cu2+ + Mg → Mg2+ + Cu
(change in ox. no. of Mg is +2 thus Mg is oxidised) 14
 • Reduction is the loss of oxygen, eg:
Cu+ H2O → 2CuO + H2
Reduction (O has been reduced)

• Reduction is also the gain of a hydrogen, eg:

2NH3+ 3Br2 → N2 + 6HBr
(Br has been reduced)

• Reduction is also the gain of electrons, eg:

Cu2+ + Mg → Mg2+ + Cu
(Cu has been reduced)

• Reduction causes a decrease in oxidation number,

eg:
Cu2+ + Mg → Mg2+ + Cu
(change in ox. no. of Cu is -2 thus Cu is reduced)
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Use the acronym “Oil Rig” to help you
remember the definitions of oxidation and
reduction
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Redox reactions
✗ Redox reactions are reactions in which oxidation and
reduction take place together

✗ While one species is oxidising, another is reducing in the

same reaction, eg:

Cu2++ Mg → Mg2+ + Cu
(Cu has been reduced and Mg has been oxidised)

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Worked example: Oxidation and
reduction

Answer 1:
Oxidised: Cl– as the ox. no. has increased by 1
Reduced: Na+ as the ox. no. has decreased by 1

Answer 2:
Oxidised: Mg as the ox. no. has increased by 2
Reduced: Fe2+ as the ox. no. has decreased by 2

Answer 3:
Oxidised: C as it has gained oxygen
Reduced: Ag as it has lost oxygen
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Disproportionation
reactions

A disproportionation reaction is
a reaction in which the same
species is both oxidised and
reduced

Example of a disproportion reaction in which the

same species (chlorine in this case) has been both
oxidised and reduced
Worked example: Balancing
disproportionation reactions

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 Answer

Step 1: Write the unbalanced equation and identify the atoms that change in
ox. no.

Step 2: Deduce the ox. no. changes

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Step 3: Balance the ox. no. changes

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Step 4: Balance the charges

Step 5: Balance the atoms

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Oxidising & Reducing Agents
Oxidising agent
• An oxidising agent is a substance that oxidises another atom or
ion by causing it to lose electrons
• An oxidising agent itself gets reduced – gains electrons
• Therefore, the ox. no. of the oxidising agent decreases

Example of an oxidising agent in a chemical reaction

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 Reducing agent
• A reducing agent is a substance that reduces another atom or
ion by causing it to gain electrons
• A reducing agent itself gets oxidised – loses/donates electrons
• Therefore, the ox. no. of the reducing agent increases

Example of a reducing agent in a chemical reaction

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• For a reaction to be recognised as a redox reaction,
there must be both an oxidising and reducing agent

• Some substances can act both as oxidising and

reducing agents

• Their nature is dependent upon what they are reacting

with and the reaction conditions

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Worked Example: Oxidising &
reducing agents

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 Answer
✗ Oxidising agents are substances that oxidise other species, gain electrons
and are themselves reduced.

✗ Write down the oxidation numbers of each species in the reaction

In equation 2, Fe2+ oxidises Mg(0) to Mg2+(+2) and is itself reduced from Fe2+
(+2) to Fe(0)
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Roman numerals
✗ Roman numerals are used to show the oxidation states of transition metals
which can have more than one oxidation number

✗ Iron can be both +2 and +3 so Roman numerals are used to distinguish

between them
✗ Fe2+ in FeO can be written as Iron(II) oxide
✗ Fe3+ in Fe2O3 can be written as Iron(III) oxide

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Worked example: Systematic
names of compounds
Answer

Answer 1: Iron(II) chloride: ox. no. of 2 Cl atoms is -2 and FeCl2 has

overall no charge so ox. no. of Fe is +2

Answer 2: Chloric(VII) acid: ox. no. of H is +1, 4 O atoms is -8 and

HClO4 has overall no charge so ox. no. of Cl is +7

Answer 3: Nitrogen(IV) oxide: ox. no. of 2 O atoms is -4 and NO2 has

overall no charge so ox. no. of N is +4

Answer 4: Magnesium nitrate: this is a salt of the common acid, so

they are named without including the ox. no. of the non-metal

Answer 5: Potassium sulfate: this is a salt of the common acid, so

they are named without including the ox. no. of the non-metal 34
a sodium sulfate
b sodium sulfate
c iron(II) nitrate
d iron(III) nitrate
e or iron(II) sulfate
f copper oxide
g sulfuric(IV) acid
h manganese(VII) oxide

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Thanks
!

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