Examples

a) Au
+ I2

3+

+ I

Au

2 Au3{+} + 2 I{-} =
6 Au + I2
HCl ZnCl2

b) Zn +
+ H2

Zn + 2 HCl = ZnCl2 +
H2
c)

NaBr

Cl2

NaCl

2 NaBr

Br2

Cl2 = 2 NaCl + Br2

d)

Fe2O3

CO

Fe

+ CO2

Fe2O3 + 3 CO

= 2 Fe

+ 3 CO2
e)

CO

I 2O 5

CO2

+ I2

5 CO + I2O5 = 5 CO2 +
I2
f)

SiCl4 + Mg MgCl2

+ Si

SiCl4 + 2 Mg
= 2 MgCl2 + Si
g)

CuCl CuCl2 + Cu

2 CuCl = CuCl2 + Cu
h) Al +
Al(OH)4

MnO4

i) HNO3 +
H3AsO4

MnO2

H3AsO3 NO +

j) NO2
NH3

H2

k) Cu + HNO3
acidic solution)
2

l)
Cr2O7
+
acidic solution)

Cu

SO3

o) Cl2 Cl

+ NO +
3+

Cr

m) Cr(OH)3 + Br2 4
2
CrO
n) ClO
2 ClO2 +

Cl

2+

Br

+ SO4

H2O (in
2

(in

(in basic solution)

(in acidic solution)

+ OCl

(in basic solution)

Balancing Basic Redox Reactions... help!?

We got these for homework, and I have no idea how to do it. Help?
1. Al + MnO4- -> MnO2 + Al(OH)4- (basic)
2. ClO3- + I- -> Cl- + I2 (basic)
3. NO2- + Al -> NH3 + AlO2- (basic)
4. Cr(OH)3 + ClO- -> CrO4(2-) +Cl2 (basic)
5. Zn + NO3- -> Zn(2+) + N2O (basic)
Best AnswerAsker's Choice

Victor answered 7 years ago

I can't tell you how I solve each problem individually, but I can tell you the general way into
solving any redox problem, especially when it's a basic reaction.
Outline:
1. Assign oxidation numbers

2. Split into unbalanced half-reactions

3. Balance the half-reactions
4. Multiply half-reactions until numbers of e- are equal, and then add them
5. Check charges and numbers of atoms (and replace state subscripts)
I'll pull the first problem as an example.
1. Oxidation numbers for each element *from left to right*:
Al = 0 (neutral atom)
Mn = +7
O = -2
----------------Mn = +4
O = -2
Al = +3
O = -2
H = +1
From the above, we find that Al is oxidized (lost electrons) while Mn is reduced (gained
electrons).
2. Splitting the equation we get
Al --> Al(OH)4MnO4- --> MnO2
3. Start out as if we are dealing with acidic solution:
a) Balance atoms other than H and O.
We skip a) since there are no atoms other than H and O to be balanced.
b) Add H2O to balance oxygen.
Al + 4H2O --> Al(OH)4MnO4- --> MnO2 + 2H2O
c) Add H+ to balance hydrogen.
Al + 4H2O --> Al(OH)4- + 4H+
MnO4- + 4H+ --> MnO2 + 2H2O
d) Add e- (electrons) to balance charge.
Al + 4H2O --> Al(OH)4- + 4H+ + 3eMnO4- + 4H+ 3e- --> MnO2 + 2H2O
e) For basic medium ONLY: add OH- to both sides for every H+ in the half-reaction; replace
adjacent H+ and OH- with H2O.
Al + 4H2O + 4OH- --> Al(OH)4- + 4H+ + 4OH- + 3eMnO4- + 4H+ + 4OH- + 3e- --> MnO2 + 2H2O + 4OH-

which simply to
Al + 4H2O + 4OH- --> Al(OH)4- + 4H2O + 3eMnO4- + 4H2O + 3e- --> MnO2 + 2H2O + 4OH4) The numbers of e- in the half-reactions are already equal, so we can just add them. (Also,
you can clean up the equations above before adding them by canceling out equal numbers of
molecules on both sides. Most of the H2O can be removed from the half-reactions.)
Al + 4OH- --> Al(OH)4- + 3eMnO4- + 2H2O + 3e- --> MnO2 + 4OH--------------------------------------...
Al + MnO4- + 2H2O --> Al(OH)4- + MnO2
5) Double-check and we find that the equation is balanced. For the state subscripts (such as
(aq), (s), (l), etc.) I'll leave it to you, since you did not provide them from above.
For the rest of the equations the answers would be:
2. ClO3- + 4I- + 3H2O --> 2I2 + Cl- + 6OH3. NO2 + 2Al + H2O + OH- --> NH3 + 2AlO24. 2Cr(OH)3 + 3ClO + 4OH- --> 2CrO4(2-) + 3Cl2 + 5H2O
5. 3Zn + 2NO3- + N2 + 4H2O --> 3Zn(2+) + 2N2O + 8OH-

Source:
General Chemistry II Lecture Notes by John Halpin (From Silberberg's Chemistry textbook,
Chapter 21: Electrochemistry: Chemical Change and Electrical Work)

Solutions
a) 2 Au

3+

+ 6I

2 Au + 3 I2

b) Zn + 2 HCl ZnCl2 + H2
c)

2 NaBr + Cl2 2 NaCl

+ Br2 d) Fe2O3 + 3 CO
2 Fe + 3 CO2 e) 5 CO +
I2O5 5 CO2 + I2
f)

SiCl4 + 2 Mg 2
2 CuCl

MgCl2 + Si g)
CuCl2 + Cu
h) Al + MnO4

+ 2 H2O MnO2 + Al(OH)4

i)

2 HNO3 + 3 H3AsO3 2 NO + 3 H3AsO4 + H2O

j)

2 NO2 + 7 H2 2 NH3 + 4 H2O

k)

3 Cu + 2 HNO3 + 6 H

l)

Cr27O + 3
2
SO3

+ 8
+
H

2
3+
Cr

3 Cu
+ 3
2
SO4

m) 2 Cr(OH)3 + 3 Br2 + 10 OH
2
2 CrO
n) 5

ClO

+ 4
+
H

o) Cl2 + 2 OH

2+

+ 2 NO + 4 H2O
+ 4 H 2O

+ 6

Br

+ 8 H 2O

4 ClO2 + + 2 H2O

Cl

Cl

+ OCl

+ H 2O

Setarakan persamaan reaksi berikut :

1. Fe2+ + MnO4- Fe3+ + Mn2+ ( suasana asam )
2. Al + NO3- AlO2- + NH3 ( suasana basa )
3. HNO3 + H2S NO + S + H2O
Teori:
Oksidasi : Pengikatan O2, kenaikan BO, Pelepasan H2
Reduksi : penurunan BO, pelepasan O2, pengikatan H2
Jawab:

1.
- Cari reaksi yang merubah BO
Oksidasi : Fe2+ Fe3+ (+1, kenaikan biloks)
Reduksi : MnO4- Mn2+ (-5, penurunan biloks) (kiri kurang O)
- Setarakan O dan H
Oksidasi : Fe2+ Fe3+ (+1, kenaikan biloks)
Reduksi : MnO4- + H2O Mn2+ + H+ (-5, penurunan biloks) (kiri kurang O)
- Setarakan muatan dengan menambah electron
Oksidasi : Fe2+ Fe3+ +1e (+1, kenaikan biloks)
Reduksi : MnO4- + H2O + 2e Mn2+ + H+ (-5, penurunan biloks) (kiri kurang O)
- Samakan jumlah electron kiri dan kanan
Oksidasi : Fe2+ Fe3+ +1e (+1, kenaikan biloks) (kali 2)
Reduksi : MnO4- + H2O + 2e Mn2+ + H+ (-5, penurunan biloks) (kiri kurang O) (kali
1)
Hasil yang diperoleh:
Oksidasi : 2Fe2+ 2Fe3+ +2e (+1, kenaikan biloks) (kali 2)
Reduksi : MnO4- + H2O + 2e Mn2+ + H+ (-5, penurunan biloks) (kiri kurang O) (kali
1)
Redoks: 2Fe2+ + MnO4- + H2O 2Fe3+ + Mn2+ + H+
Atau :
- Cari reaksi yang merubah BO
Oksidasi : Fe2+ Fe3+ (+1, kenaikan biloks)
Reduksi : MnO4- Mn2+ (-5, penurunan biloks) (kanan kurang 4O)
- Setarakan O dan H
Oksidasi : Fe2+ Fe3+ (+1, kenaikan biloks)
Reduksi : MnO4- + 8H+ Mn2+ + 4H2O (-5, penurunan biloks) (kanan kurang 4O)
- Setarakan muatan dengan menambah electron
Oksidasi : Fe2+ Fe3+ +1e (+1, kenaikan biloks)
Reduksi : MnO4- + 8H+ +5e Mn2+ + 4H2O (-5, penurunan biloks) (kiri kurang 4O)
- Samakan jumlah electron kiri dan kanan
Oksidasi : Fe2+ Fe3+ +1e (+1, kenaikan biloks) (kali 5)
Reduksi : MnO4- + 8H+ +5e Mn2+ + 4H2O (-5, penurunan biloks) (kiri kurang 4O)
(kali 1)
Hasil yang diperoleh:
Oksidasi : 5Fe2+ 5Fe3+ +5e (+1, kenaikan biloks) (kali 5)
Reduksi : MnO4- + 8H+ +5e Mn2+ + 4H2O (-5, penurunan biloks) (kiri kurang 4O)
(kali 1)
Redoks: 5Fe2+ + MnO4- + 8H+ 5Fe3+ + Mn2+ + 4H2O

Atau : 5Fe2+ + 8HMnO4 5Fe3+ + 8Mn2+ + 4H2O