Redox reactions

Fundamentals
Historically

Oxidation – the gain of oxygen

Reduction – the loss of oxygen

e.g. magnesium burning in air

write an equation

e.g. copper oxide being reduced to copper by heating in the presence of hydrogen
write an equation

e.g. iron oxide being reduced to iron metal by heating with carbon monoxide in the
blast furnace
write an equation
In time, the definition came to include the loss or gain of hydrogen

Oxidation – loss of hydrogen

Reduction – gain of hydrogen

e.g. the reaction between hydrogen sulphide and oxygen to produce

sulphur and water
write an equation

Oxidation and reduction reactions are interdependent. They always occur

together!!

Hence the combined name – REDOX reaction

 Example
e.g. lead oxide reacting with carbon

Write an equation

What is being oxidised?

What is being reduced?

 Redox reactions as electron
transfer processes
With the advent of atomic theory, it was discovered that redox reactions
are actually the result of electron transfer.

e.g. look again at the oxidation of magnesium.

2Mg(s) + O2(g) → 2MgO(s)

The magnesium goes from having no charge as a metal in elemental form

to having a 2+ charge as an ion in the magnesium oxide.

Write a half equation

The oxygen goes from having no charge as one of two atoms in a diatomic
molecule of elemental oxygen gas to having a 2- charge as an ion in
the magnesium oxide.

Write a half equation

The magnesium has lost electrons and is oxidised.

The oxygen has gained electrons and is reduced.

 OIL RIG
Oxidation – is loss of electrons
Reduction – is gain of electrons
 Definitions
A substance that causes the oxidation of another substance is called an
oxidising agent. (oxidant)

It is itself reduced and so is an electron acceptor.

Substances that are readily reduced chlorine are commonly used as

oxidising agents e.g. chlorine

A substance that causes the reduction of another substance is called a

reducing agent. (reductant)

It is itself oxidised and so is an electron donor.

 Redox and photography
Silver halides are used on photographic film and paper.
Silver halides are affected by light.

Demo:
Test tube 1&2: Add 5mL silver nitrate to 5mL sodium chloride
Test tube 3&4: Add 5mL silver nitrate to 5mL sodium bromide
Test tube 5&6: Add 5mL silver nitrate to 5mL sodium iodide
Make observations
Place test tubes 1,3,5 in a dark place
Leave test tubes 2,4,6 in a bright place
After 5-10 mins compare and make observations.
 Redox and photography
Silver halides are used on photographic film and paper.
Silver halides are affected by light.

In sunlight silver halides are reduced to silver.

a) Write equations for the preparation of each silver halide.

b) Write equations for the redox reactions that occurred
c) Which species were oxidised and which were reduced?

So when photographic film is exposed to light the silver ions in the silver
halides used are reduced to silver to create a negative.
 Application of redox

 See Yr10 Iron extraction ppt

 Reading and questions

Read Longman’s Ch6 p53-59.

Do Q’s 1, 2 & 4 p61 & 62