REDOX REACTIONS

The reactions we are looking at now depend on the ability of one atom to transfer electron(s) to another
atom. We identify the atoms which have transferred electrons during a reaction by assigning "oxidation
numbers" to each atom and looking for the ones that change from reactant to product side of a balanced
equation.

1. Assign the "oxidation number" for each atom in the compounds/ions below:

a. Na2O d. [ClO3]-
+1 -2 +5 -2
b. H2O2 e. [ClO4]-
+1 -1 +7 -2
c. P4 f. Na2S4O6
0 (pure element) +1 +2.5 -2
2. Use the oxidation number method to balance to following reactions, and then identify the oxidizing
agent and reducing agent in each reaction:

a) __1_ I2 (s) + __2_ Na2S2O3 (aq) → __1_ Na2S4O6 (aq) + __2_ NaI (aq)
0 ea +2 ea +2.5 ea -1 ea
oxidizing agent reducing agent

I2 0 → 2 I -1 -2 electrons total (-1 each I atom times 2 I per reaction)

2 S2+2 → 1 S4+2.5 +2 electrons (+0.4 each S atom times 4 S per reaction)

b) _2__ HCl (aq) + __2_ FeCl2 (aq) + _1__ H2O2 (aq) → _2__ FeCl3 (aq) + _2__ H2O (l)
+2 ea -1 ea +3 ea -2 ea
Reducing agent Oxidizing Agent

2 Fe+2 → 2 Fe+3 +2 electrons total (+1 each Fe atom times 2 Fe per reaction)
1 O2-1 → 2 O-2 -2 electrons total (-1 each O atime times 2 O per reaction)

3. You already understand that redox reactions involve the transfer of electrons between atoms (as seen by
a change in the "oxidation number" of atoms involved). Many of these reactions involve the transfer of
electrons between a metal atom in one compound to a metal atom in another. Of course, this requires
that the metal atom donating the electrons is a strong enough "reducing agent" to force it's electrons
onto the other metal atom. Consider the following:

a piece of copper metal placed in a silver nitrate solution will displace the silver ions from solution.
Copper is the “reducing agent” in this example. In a similar fashion a piece of zinc metal placed in a
copper nitrate solution will displace the copper ions from solution. What does this tell you about the
relative strengths of copper, silver, and zinc as reducing agents?

(weakest reducer) Ag < Cu < Zn (strongest reducer)

4. So what reaction would you expect from the addition of a piece of silver metal to a solution of zinc
nitrate? (explain your answer).
Nothing should happen. Since zinc is more active (stronger reducer)than copper and copper is more
active than silver, then there is no way silver will be able to reduce and displace zinc from the
solution.
5. For each redox reaction below, identify the type of reaction and balance the chemical equations.

a) ___ SnCl2 (aq) + ___ Co (s) → CoCl2 (aq) + Sn (s) Displacement Reaction

b) _2_ LiCl (l) + electricity → 2 Li (s) + Cl2 (g) Decomposition Reaction

c) ___ Ni (s) + ___ FeCl3 (aq) → No Reaction (Ni is less active than Fe)

d) _2_ Mg (s) + ___ O2 (aq) → 2 MgO (s) Combination Reaction

REVIEW: Types of Reactions and Ionic Equations

1. Which of the following compounds is an acid? (circle the acids)

NaCl H3PO4 PbO2 NH3 HI C6H5COOH

Acid Acid Acid

You know that in balanced chemical equations we indicate the state of the compound as either a solid (s),
liquid (l), or gas (g). In addition, many of the ionic compounds we work are dissolved in aqueous
solutions, indicated by (aq). These salt solutions dissociate into their ions when dissolved in water.

2. Write the "ionic" view of the following compounds as they truly exist dissolved in water:
a. HCl (aq)
H+1 (aq) + Cl-1 (aq)
b. Ca(OH)2
Ca+2 (aq) + 2 OH-1 (aq)
c. LiNO3 (aq)
Li+1 (aq) + NO3-1 (aq)
d. (NH4)2SO4 (aq)
2 NH4+1 (aq) + SO4-2 (aq)

3. For each of the reactions below, write the total ionic and net ionic equations:

a. NH4OH (aq) + HCl (aq) → NH4Cl (aq) + H2O (l)

NH4+1 (aq) + OH-1 (aq) + H+1 (aq) + Cl-1 (aq) → NH4+1 (aq) + Cl-1 (aq) + H2O (l)

OH-1 (aq) + H+1 → H2O (l)

b. Pb (s) + PbO2 (s) + 2 H2SO4 (aq) → 2 PbSO4 (aq) + 2 H2O (l)

Pb (s) + PbO2 (s) + 4 H+1 (aq) + 1 SO4-2 (aq) → 2 Pb+2 (aq) + SO4-2 (aq) + 2 H2O (l)

Pb (s) + PbO2 (s) + 4 H+1 (aq) → 2 Pb+2 (aq) + 2 H2O (l)