7.

1 Oxidation and reduction

Oxidation
A gain of oxygen is called oxidation. The substance that gains oxygen has been oxidised.

2Mg (s) + O2 (g) 2MgO (s)

In this oxidation reaction magnesium has been oxidised.

4Fe (s) + 3O2 (g) + H2O (l) 2Fe2O3.H2O (s)

Rusting is also an oxidation reaction. Iron is being oxidised.
Reduction
A loss of oxidation is called reduction. The substance that loses oxygen is reduced.

CuO (s) + H2 (g) Cu (s) + H2O (l)

In this reduction reaction copper is being reduced.
Oxidation and reduction take place together.
Oxidation and reaction always take place together. So the reaction is called a REDOX reaction.
Examples:

CuO (s) + H2 (g) Cu (s) + H2O (l)

Copper is being reduced.

Hydrogen is being oxidised

2Ca (s) + O2 (g) 2CaO (s)

Calcium has been oxidised

Oxygen has been reduced.

2H2 (g) + O2 (g) 2H2O (l)

Hydrogen is oxidised
Oxygen is being reduced

Wherever there is oxidation, there is also reduction. So when a substance reacts with oxygen it
is being oxidised. Something has to be reduced (it gains electrons), so it is oxygen.
Combustion is a redox reaction. An element is burnt with oxygen, to form oxides.

7.2 Redox and electron transfer

If a substance loses electrons during a reaction, it has been oxidised.
If a substance gains electrons in a reaction, it has been reduced.
Half equations
Half equations are used to show the electron transfer. For example:

2Mg + O2 2MgO
Magnesium is in group 2, and oxygen is in group 6.
So,

2Mg - 4e 2Mg2+ (Oxidation)

O2 + 4e 2O2- (Reduction)

First write down each reaction with the element it gains or loses.
The number of electrons gained or lost should be the same in
half equations.

both

Redox reactions without oxygen

Any reaction in which electron transfer takes place is called redox. So oxygen should not be
necessarily present.
The reaction between sodium and chlorine:

2Na + Cl2 2NaCl

The sodium atoms give electrons to the
chlorine atoms, forming and ion, NaCl.
So,

2Na 2e 2Na1+ (Reduction)

Cl2 + 2e 2Cl1- (Oxidation)

The reaction between chlorine and potassium bromide:

Cl2 + 2KBr 2KCl + Br2

This is a displacement reaction. So,

Cl2 +2e 2Cl-1 (Reduction)

2Br1- Br2 +2e (Oxidation)

7.3 Redox and changes in oxidation state

Oxidation state tells us how many electrons each atom of an element has gained or shared, in
forming a compound.
Some rules for oxidation states:

Each atom in a formula has an oxidation state

An oxidation state is always written in roman numerals
Where an element is not combined with any other element, the oxidation state is 0
Atoms in transition metals have variable oxidation states in their compounds
For any compound formula, the oxidation states must add up to zero

Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 6
Group 7
TM

I
II
III
II
I
No. in
brackets

Oxidation state changes during redox reactions

2Na + Cl2 2NaCl

Each sodium atom loses and electron during the reaction, to

form a Na+ ion. So each sodium atom is oxidised, and its oxidation state rises from 0 to +I. each
chlorine atom gains an electron, to form a Cl- ion. So chlorine is reduced and its oxidation state
turns from 0 to -1. If there is no change, it means that no redox reaction has taken place
If oxidation states change during a reaction, it is a redox reaction:

A rise in oxidation number means oxidation has occurred

A fall in oxidation number means reduction has occurred

7.4 Oxidising and reducing agents

An oxidising agent oxidises another substances, and is itself reduced.
A reducing agent reduces another substances, and is itself oxidised.