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    Identifying Redox Reactions

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    Carlton Grant
    The document discusses identifying redox reactions by determining if a reaction involves a change in oxidation states, which requires separating it into oxidation and reduction half-reactions involving increases or decreases in oxidation states. It provides an example reaction and analyzes the oxidation states of copper and silver to identify it as a redox reaction.

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    Identifying Redox Reactions

    Uploaded by

    Carlton Grant
    15 views1 page
    The document discusses identifying redox reactions by determining if a reaction involves a change in oxidation states, which requires separating it into oxidation and reduction half-reactions involving increases or decreases in oxidation states. It provides an example reaction and analyzes the oxidation states of copper and silver to identify it as a redox reaction.

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    The document discusses identifying redox reactions by determining if a reaction involves a change in oxidation states, which requires separating it into oxidation and reduction half-reactions involving increases or decreases in oxidation states. It provides an example reaction and analyzes the oxidation states of copper and silver to identify it as a redox reaction.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    15 views1 page

    Identifying Redox Reactions

    Uploaded by

    Carlton Grant
    The document discusses identifying redox reactions by determining if a reaction involves a change in oxidation states, which requires separating it into oxidation and reduction half-reactions involving increases or decreases in oxidation states. It provides an example reaction and analyzes the oxidation states of copper and silver to identify it as a redox reaction.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
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    Identifying Redox Reactions

    The first step in balancing any redox reaction is determining whether or not it is even
    an oxidation-reduction reaction. This requires that one and typically more species
    changing oxidation states during the reaction. To maintain charge neutrality in the
    sample, the redox reaction will entail both a reduction component and an oxidation
    components. These are often separated into independent two hypothetical half-
    reactions to aid in understanding the reaction. This requires identifying which element
    is oxidized and which element is reduced. For example, consider this reaction:

    Cu(s)+2Ag+(aq)→Cu2+(aq)+2Ag(s)

    The first step in determining whether the reaction is a redox reaction is to split the
    equation into two hypothetical half-reactions. Let's start with the half-reaction involving
    the copper atoms:

    Cu(s)→Cu2+(aq)

    The oxidation state of copper on the left side is 0 because it is an element on its own.
    The oxidation state of copper on the right hand side of the equation is +2. The copper
    in this half-reaction is oxidized as the oxidation states increases from 0 in CuCu to +2
    in Cu2+Cu2+. Now consider the silver atoms

    2Ag+(aq)→2Ag(s)

    In this half-reaction, the oxidation state of silver on the left side is a +1. The oxidation
    state of silver on the right is 0 because it is an pure element. Because the oxidation
    state of silver decreases from +1 to 0, this is the reduction half-reaction.

    Consequently, this reaction is a redox reaction as both reduction and oxidation half-
    reactions occur (via the transfer of electrons, that are not explicitly shown in equations
    2). Once confirmed, it often necessary to balance the reaction (the reaction in equation
    1 is balanced already though), which can be accomplished in two ways because the
    reaction could take place in neutral, acidic or basic conditions.

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