Oxidation and Reduction Part 2

Oxidation Numbers
 Oxidation number (state) is the charge an atom would have if it existed as an ion.
Rules for Assigning Oxidation Numbers
Rules Examples
Rule 1
Elements in their natural state have Cu, Fe, C, O2, Cl2
an oxidation number of zero
Ion Charge Oxidation number
Rule 2
Cl- 1- -1
The oxidation number of a simple
Cu2+ 2+ +2
ion is the charge on the ion
Fe3+ 3+ +3
Oxidation number
Hydrogen in most of its compounds +1
Rule 3
Oxygen in most of its compounds -2
The oxidation number of some
All Group I elements (Li, Na, K) +1
elements in their compounds is fixed.
All Group II elements (Be, Mg, Ca) +2
All Group IV elements (F, Cl, Br) -2
Rule 4 CuO H2O FeCl3
The oxidation numbers of the
elements in a compound add up to +2 -2 +1x2 -2 +3 -1x3
zero =0 =0 =0
Rule 5 OH-
The sum of the oxidation states of the
elements in an ion is equal to the -2 +1
charge of the ion = -1
Example 1
1. What are the oxidation numbers of the underlined elements in the following substances?
a) CO2
b) SO42-
c) K2Cr2O7
a) CO2
C + 2 (-2) = 0 (Rule 4 and 3)
C-4=0
C=0
b) SO42-
S + 4 (-2) = -2 (Rule 5 and 3)
S - 8 = -2
S=+6
c) K2Cr2O7 (Rule 5 and 3)

2 (+1) 2 x Cr + 7 (-2) = 0
+2 + 2 x Cr - 14 = 0
2 x Cr - 12 = 0
2 x Cr = + 12
Cr = + 6
Questions
1. What are the oxidation numbers of the underlined elements in the following substances?
a) PbO2
b) CaCO3
c) MnO4-
d) Na2SO3
e) Cr2O42-
2. Write down the chemical formula for each of the following compounds. (The number in
Roman numeral shows the oxidation number of the metal).
a) lead (II) chloride
b) copper (II) hydroxide
c) iron (III) oxide
d) copper (I) oxide
e) chromium (III) sulphate
Oxidation and Reduction in terms of Oxidation Numbers

 Oxidation is the increase in the oxidation number while reduction is a decrease in the
oxidation number.
Example 2
Consider the reaction between zinc and dilute sulphuric acid.
0 +1 -2 +2 -2 0
Zn + H2SO4 ZnSO4 + H2
 Zinc is oxidised since its oxidation number increases from 0 (in Zn) to +2 (in ZnSO4).
 Hydrogen is reduced as its oxidation number decreases from +1 (in H2SO4) to 0 in (H2).
Example 3
+3 -2 +2 -2 0 +4 -2
Fe2O3 + CO 2Fe + 3CO2
 Carbon is oxidised as its oxidation number increases from +2 (in CO) to +4 (in CO2).
 Iron is reduced since its oxidation number decreases from +3 (in Fe2O3) to 0 (in Fe).
Questions
3. Use oxidation numbers to find what has been oxidised and what has been reduced.
a) Al + O2 Al2O3
b) Fe + HCl FeCl3
c) Mg + H2O MgO + H2
4. Chromium metal is obtained from its oxide by the following reaction:
Cr2O3 + 2Al Al2O3 + 2Cr
a) Calculate the oxidation number of

i. chromium in
ii. aluminium in
b) State the substance that was oxidised and the one that was reduced in the above
reaction.
Oxidation and Reduction in terms of Gain and Loss of Electrons
 Oxidation Is Loss of electrons (OIL) while Reduction Is Gain of electrons (RIG).
 A substance that loses electrons is said to be oxidised while a substance that gains
electrons is said to be reduced.
Example 4
2Na + Cl2 2NaCl

2Na + Cl2 2Na+Cl-
 Sodium atoms lost electrons to the chlorine atoms. Sodium has one electron in the outer
shell while chlorine has 7 electrons in outer shell.
 Sodium atoms have been oxidised since they lose electrons. Chlorine has been reduced
since it gained electrons.
Example 5
2Mg + O2 2MgO
2Mg + O2 2Mg2+O2-
 Magnesium was oxidised as it lost 2 electrons to form magnesium ions, Mg2+. A

magnesium atom has 2 electrons in the outer shell.
 Oxygen was reduced as it gained to electrons to form oxygen ions, O2-. An oxygen atom
has 6 electrons in the outer shell in the outer shell and easily gains electrons.
Ionic Half Equations

 A redox reaction involving transfer of electrons can be split into two halves.
 One half equation shows which reactant loses electron (oxidation) and the other half
equation shows the reactant that gains electrons (reduction).
 Two half equations from Example 4:
Na Na+ + e- oxidation - loss of electrons

Cl2 + 2e- 2Cl- reduction - gain of electrons
Example 6
Reaction between a metal and dilute acids
Mg + 2HCl MgCl2 + H2
Mg Mg2+ + 2e- Oxidation

2H+ + 2e -
H2 Reduction
Example 7
Zn + CuO ZnO + Cu
Zn Zn2+ + 2e- Oxidation

Cu2+ + 2e- Cu Reduction
Questions
5. Do the following half equations show oxidation or reduction? Explain your answer.
a) Al Al3+ + 3e-
b) Ag+ + e- Ag
c) Fe2+ Fe3+ + e-
d) 2H+ + 2e- H2
e) 2Br- Br2 + 2e-
6. Explain where the oxidation and reduction take place in the following redox reactions.
a) Cu + Cl2 CuCl2
b) Mg2+ + 2Ag+ Mg2+ + 2Ag
c) 2Fe2+ + Cl2 2Fe3+ + Cl-

Oxidation and Reduction Part 2

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Oxidation and Reduction Part 2

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Oxidation Numbers

Rules for Assigning Oxidation Numbers

c) K2Cr2O7 (Rule 5 and 3)

Oxidation and Reduction in terms of Oxidation Numbers

Cr2O3 + 2Al Al2O3 + 2Cr

a) Calculate the oxidation number of

2Na + Cl2 2NaCl

 Magnesium was oxidised as it lost 2 electrons to form magnesium ions, Mg2+. A

Ionic Half Equations

Na Na+ + e- oxidation - loss of electrons

Mg Mg2+ + 2e- Oxidation

Zn Zn2+ + 2e- Oxidation

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