Subject:

Chemistry

Type of Lesson:

Lecture/Discussion

Grade:

11

CSEC OBJ:

A 6.13 - Define oxidation and

reduction
A6.14 Deduce oxidation numbers
from formulae

Term:

UNIT: 1

Redox

Duration:

40 minutes

Lesson: 1

Introduction to oxidation and

reduction

Week: 1

Objectives
As a result of this lesson, you will be able to:
1) define oxidation and reduction in terms of loss and gain of
electrons as well as change in oxidation state
2) deduce oxidation numbers from formulae.
Prerequisite Student Knowledge
You should be familiar with:
1) loss of electrons results in residual positive charge equal to the
number of electrons lost
2) gain of electrons results in residual negative charge equal to the
number of electrons gained
3) balancing equations
4) oxidation state is the same as valency
Important Points
Important points in this lesson:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

Oxidation is the loss of electrons

Reduction is the gain of electrons
Oxidation results in an increase in oxidation state
Reduction results in a decrease in oxidation state
The number of charge(s) on ions formed from atoms of elements,
is based on the group of the Periodic Table of elements in which
they fall

Student Instructional Material

6) Oxidation-Reduction Reactions are: "All reactions that involve

the change of an oxidation number, or transfer of electrons among
the reacting substances".

Key Terms
Oxidation Number

Valency

Reducing Agent

Oxidizing Agent

Redox Reaction

Balanced Equation

Challenge Areas
Write the equation for the reaction of magnesium and hydrochloric
acid. Determine which substance has been oxidized and which has
been reduced. Explain your answer.

Equipment/Material Needed
Notebooks, pens/pencils, Periodic Table of Elements
Note to Student
Redox reactions, or oxidation-reduction reactions, primarily involve
the transfer of electrons between two chemical species. The compound
that loses an electron is said to be oxidized, the one that gains an
electron is said to be reduced. There are also specific terms that
describe the specific chemical species. A compound that is oxidized is
referred to as a reducing agent, while a compound that is reduced is
referred to as the oxidizing agent.
NOTE: When reduction takes place the oxidation number decreases.
When oxidation takes place, the oxidation number increases.

Student Instructional Material

Introduction
1) Understanding the concepts
a. Your teacher will explain the following concepts:
Box 1.1: Key concepts
1. Redox (a short name for oxidation-reduction)
reactions involve the transfer of electrons from one
reactant to another.
2. When there is oxidation, there is also reduction.
Notes

3. The substance which loses electrons is oxidised.

The acronym
OILRIG can help
you to remember
that Oxidation is
Loss and
Reduction is Gain
of electrons

4. The substance which gains electrons is reduced.

i.

Use the acronym OILRIG in the Notes at the side

to help you to minimize confusion.

2) Working in pairs, complete the following activity, the aim of

which is to clarify the concept of oxidation and reduction in
terms of loss and gain of electrons as well as change in
oxidation state.
Important Point
Electrons are
negatively charged
thus loss of a negative
charge will result in a
lessening of negative
charge or residual
positive charge. A gain
of negative charge will
result in a residual
negative charge or a
lessening of positive
charge. The size of
the residual charge is
equal to the number of
electrons lost or
gained.

a. Underline or fill in the space with the appropriate answer.

i.

When a green iron (II) or ferrous ion is changed to

red iron (III) or ferric ion, the ionic equation which
sums up the reaction is:
1. Fe2+ . Fe3+
2. One electron is (gained/lost).
3. The oxidation number of Fe changes from
.. to ...
4. There is therefore a (decrease/increase) in
oxidation number.
5. Iron (II) is therefore (oxidized/reduced)
according to this equation.

ii.

If the iron (III) ion is changed to iron (II) ion, the

ionic equation which sums up the reaction is:
1. Fe3+ Fe2+

Student Instructional Material

2. One electron is (gained/lost).

3. The oxidation number of Fe changes from
.to.
4. There is therefore a (decrease/increase) in
oxidation number.
5. Iron (III) is therefore (oxidized/reduced)
according to this equation.

Body of Lesson
1) Activity Iron nail in a copper (II) sulphate solution

Try This!
a) Place an iron nail in
a solution of CuSO4.
Observe the changes
which occur after a
few minutes. Explain
the observation and
write an equation. b)
Allow the mixture to
stand for a few hours.
Observe and explain
your observations
including an equation.

a. Place an iron nail in a solution of copper (II) sulphate for a few

minutes and set aside for a few hours and observe.
i.
How can you account for these observations?
ii.
Write an ionic equations to show the reaction that
took place.
(N.B. The oxidation number of the uncombined neutral atom of
an element is zero, thus the Fe atom and the Cu atom both have
oxidation number = 0)
Fe(s)
Oxidised
Reducing
Agent

+ Cu2+(aq) Fe2+(aq) + Cu(s)

Reduced
Oxidising
Agent

b. Your teacher will use 4 steps to explain the redox reaction

above. Make sure that you understand each step.
c. After a few hours the iron (II) ions will change to iron (III)
ions, which accounts for the colour change to red-brown.
Working in pairs, explain what is happening with the aid of an
equation.

2) Determination of oxidation numbers

a. Rules for assigning oxidation number.
Box 1.2: Rules for assigning oxidation number
1. The oxidation state of a free element (uncombined
element) is zero;

Student Instructional Material

2. For a simple (monoatomic) ion, the oxidation state is

equal to the net charge on the ion;
3. The algebraic sum of oxidation states of all atoms in a
neutral molecule must be zero, while in ions the
algebraic sum of the oxidation states of the constituent
atoms must be equal to the charge on the ion.
4. The oxidation number of oxygen is always -2 except
in peroxides and superoxides.
5. The oxidation number of hydrogen is always +1
except in metal hydrides where it is -1.

(Refer to
http://www.science.uwaterloo.ca/~cchieh/cact/c123/oxidstat.ht
ml for more details).
b. Work in pairs and calculate the oxidation numbers.
i.
What is the oxidation number of sulphur,
manganese, chromium and nitrogen in the following
compounds?
1.
2.
3.
4.

Na2S2O3
KMnO4
K2Cr2O7
HNO3

Closure
In-Class Assignments
1) You may recall from a previous experiment that when pure
zinc metal is placed in dilute hydrochloric acid, hydrogen gas,
H2, is given off. Work in pairs to complete the following:
i.
Write the general equation and the ionic equations.
ii. Determine the oxidation numbers of all the elements
present and hence identify which atoms are reduced,
and which are oxidized .
Out-of-Class Assignment
1) Study the rules above for determining oxidation numbers.
Calculate the oxidation number of the underlined element in each
compound:
i.

H3PO4

Student Instructional Material

iv.

NaH

ii. SO42iii. NO2-

v.
vi.

NH3
CO32-

Supplemental
Glossary of Terms
Oxidation
Number

A number identical with the valency but with a

sign, expressing the nature of the charge of the
species in question when formed from the neutral
atom. Thus, the oxidation number of chlorine in
hydrochloric acid is -1, while it is +1 in
hypochlorous acid. Similarly we can say that the
oxidation number of chlorine in chloric(V) acid
(HClO3) is +5, and in perchloric acid (HClO4)
+7.

Valency

Number of electron an atom gains or loses to

become stable.
A reaction that involves the transfer of electrons
from one reactant to another

Redox Reaction

Reducing Agent

The chemical which loses electrons to a

substance and hence causes that substance to
become reduced. In the process, the reducing
agent is oxidised (increases its oxidation
number

Oxidising agent

The chemical which gains electrons from a

substance and hence causes that substance to
become oxidized. In the process, the oxidising
agent is reduced (decreases its oxidation
number

CSEC Questions
1) Give the symbols of two elements which can exist in the +3
oxidation state.
2) Calculate the oxidation number of sulphur in
(i) sodium sulphate (Na2SO4)
(ii) sodium sulphide (Na2S)
3) In which of the following compounds does manganese have an
oxidation number of +7?

Student Instructional Material

i.
ii.
iii.
iv.

MnO
MnO2
Mn2O3
KMnO4

Recommended Materials
http://www.chemistry.co.nz/redox_new.htm
http://www.chemistry.co.nz/redox_test.htm#(1)
Bibliography
1. Bisnott, Karlene (2002) CXC Lecture Series Chemistry, 2nd
Edition, Jamaica Observer Limited
2. Ferguson, J. & Hart, R. (1991) CXC Chemistry, Oxford
University Press
3. Holderness, A.; Lambert, J.; Thompson, J. J. (1987) A New
Certificate Chemistry, Sixth Edition, Heinemann Educational
Books
4. Tindale, Anne (1998) Chemistry A concise Revision Course
for CXC, Stanley Thornes Publishers Ltd.

Student Instructional Material