PAWAN WAGH ACADEMY

MAKING MATHEMATICS SIMPLE & INTERESTING

Class 11th
Notes
Topic : Redox Reactions.

 REDOX = (Reduction + Oxidation) reaction.

Addition of oxygen
 Oxidation Addition of electronegative element

Removal of electropositive element

Loss of electrons by any species

Removal of hydrogen

 Examples of Oxidation reaction.

C(s) + O2 CO2……………................(Addition of oxygen)

(g) (g)

2Mg(s) + O2(g) 2MgO(s) (Addition of oxygen)

2H2S + O2 2S + 2H2O (Removal of hydrogen)

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 Removal of oxygen
 Reduction Removal of electronegative element
Addition of electropositive element
Gain of electrons by any species
Addition of hydrogen

 Examples of Reduction reaction –

2Fe2O3 + 3C(s) 4Fe(s) + 3CO2 (Removal of oxygen)

(g)

2HgO(s) 2Hg(l) + O2 (Removal of oxygen)

(g)

2FeCl3 + H2(g) 2FeCl2 + 2HCl (Removal of

electronegative (Cl) element)

CH2 = CH2 + H2 CH3 – CH3 (Addition of hydrogen)

(g) (g)

 Oxidizing Agent/Oxidant –
A reagent/substance which causes oxidation of other
species and itself undergoes reduction is called as
oxidizing agent or oxidant or electron accepter.
Examples – Mg(s) + F2 (g) Mg F2 (s)
↓
Oxidizing
agent
Mg(s) + S(s) MgS (s)

↓
Oxidizing
agent
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 Reducing Agent/Reductant-
A reagent/substance which causes reduction of
other species and itself undergoes oxidation, is
called as reducing agent or reductant or electron
donor.

 Redox reactions (in terms of electron transfer)

Loss of e-(oxidation)

1) Mg(s) +O2 Mg+2 + O-2

(g)

Gain of e- (Reduction)
Loss of e- (oxidation)

2) Mg(s) + F2 (g) Mg+2 + 2F1-

Gain of e- (Reduction)

Loss of e- (oxidation)

3) Fe(s) + Cu+2 Fe+2 + Cu(s)

(aq) (aq)

Gain of e- (Reduction)

 Oxidation Number-
The number of electrical charges carried by an
element in a compound, is called as oxidation
number an element in a compound.

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 Rules of assign oxidation number-
1. Oxidation number of element in free state = 0
Element / atom Oxidation number
H2 0
Cl2 0
O2 0
S8 0
P4 0
O2 0

2. Group I/Alkali metals

H, Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Fr→ +1 oxidation state

3. Group II/Alkaline earth metals.

Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Ra → +2 oxidation state.

4. Oxidation number of oxygen (0) is given by

Normal oxygen (0) → -2
Peroxide (O22-) → -1
Superoxide (O21-) → -1/2

 Calculation of Oxidation number of the underlined

element in a compound

1. SO2

x + 2(-2) = 0
x–4=0
x = +4

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2. SO42-

x + 4(-2) = -2
x – 8 = -2
x = -2 + 8
x = +6

3. KMnO4

+1+ x +4(-2) = 0
x + 1-8 = 0
x–7=0
x = +7

4. K2Cr2O7

+2(1)+2(x)+7(-2) = 0
2+2x-14 = 0
2x -14+2 = 0
2x – 12 = 0
2x = +12
12
x=
2
x = +6

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5. Ca3(PO4)2

+3(2) +2x +2x4 (-2) = 0

6 + 2x -16 = 0
2x -16 + 6 = 0
2x – 10 = 0
2x = +10
10
X= = +5
2
Oxidation state of each Phosphorous (P) atom is +5

6. SO32-
X+3(-2) = -2
x-6 = -2
x = -2+6
x= +4

7. BrO31-
x+3(-2) = -1
x-6 = -1
x = -1+6
x = +5

8. ClO41-
x+4(-2) = -1
x-8 = -1
x = -1+8
x = +7

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9. NH41+
x+4(1) = +1
x+4 = 1
x = 1-4
x = -3

10. NO31-
x+3(-2) = -1
x-6 = -1
x = -1+6
x = +5

11. NO21-
x+2(-2) = -1
x-4 = -1
x = -1+4
x = +3

12.SO3
x+3(-2) = 0
x-6 = 0
x = +6

13.N2O5
2x+5(-2) = 0
2x-10 = 0
2x +10
X = +10/2
X = +5

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14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

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19.

20.

21.

22.

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 Stock Notation-
Element (Oxidation number) element or molecule
in Roman letter
1. Au1 Cl1 Au+1 Cl1- Au(I)Cl

2. Au1 Cl3 Au+31 Cl31- Au(III)Cl3

3. Sn1 Cl4 Sn1+4 Cl1-4 Sn(IV)Cl4

4. Sn1 Cl2 Sn+2 Cl1-2 Sn(II)Cl4

5. Mn1 O2 Mn1+2 O21-

or Mn(IV)O2

Mn+4 O22-

 Rules (trick) for prediction of oxidizing agent

(oxidant) and reducing agent (Reductant)
1) Calculate the oxidation number of element in a (redox) reaction.
2) Increase in oxidation number
↓
Oxidation Reaction
↓
Reducing agent

3) Decrease in oxidation number

↓
Reduction reaction
↓
Oxidizing agent

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 Problem 6.4
Identify whether the following reactions are redox
reaction or not. State the oxidant and reductant
there in.

3 H3As O3 + BrO31-→ Br1- + 3 H3As O4

Firstly, Calculate the oxidation number of each

single species in a compound

H3 As O3 BrO31- H3AsO4
↓ ↓ ↓
3(1)+x+3(-2) = o x+3(-2) = -1 3(1)+x+4(-2) = 0
3+x – 6 = 0 x-6 = -1 3+x-8 = 0
x-3 = 0 x = -1+6 x-5 = 0
x = +3 x = +5 x = +5

Increase in oxidation no. (oxidation reaction) or (reducing

agent)
+3 +5 1- +5
3 H3 As O3 + Br O → Br + 3H3 As O4
3
1-

Decrease in oxidation number (reduction reaction ) or

(oxidizing agent)

Reducing agent = H3 AsO3

Oxidizing agent = Br O31-

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 Balancing of redox Reaction

Oxidation number Ion electron method

method or
Half reaction method

 Steps involved oxidation number method

1. Write the unbalanced reaction, and calculate the

oxidation number.
2. Balance the atoms in left hand side (L.H.S) and
right hand side (R.H.S).
3. Calculate the change in oxidation number.
4. Then cross multiply, if simplest ratio is possible,
then take simplest ratio.
5. Then add पपपप (H2O) to that side, which contains
less oxygen atoms or no oxygen atoms.
6. Then add H+ ion to the opposite side of H2O.
7. Finally the reaction is balanced.

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 Problem 6.5
Using the oxidation number method, write the net
ionic equation for the reaction of potassium
permanganate, KMnO4, with ferrous sulphate FeSO4.
Change = 7-2 = 5
+7
MnO41- + Fe+2 → Mn+2 + Fe+3
Change = 3-2 = 1

As here all atoms are already balanced

Element Change in oxidation no’s

MnO41-
Mn 5
x + 4(-2) = -1
x-8 = -1
Fe 1
x = -1+8
x = +7
{multiply Mn by 1 & multiply Fe by 5}

1MnO41- + 5Fe+2 + 8H+→ 1Mn+2 + 5Fe+3 + 4H2O

As here in L.H.S of As in R.H.S of

reaction or side reaction O is absent
opposite to that of so H2O is added in
H2O; H+ is added R.H.S

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 Problem 6.6
Balance the following reaction by oxidation number
method

Change = 2 - 0 = 2

+2 -3 (0) (0)
CuO + 2NH3→ Cu + N2
= (3x2) - 0
Change = +6-0 = 6

Element change in simplest

Oxidation state ratio NH3
x+3(1) = 0
Cu 2 1 x= -3

N 6 3 CuO

Cross multiply
x-2 = 0
So multiply Cu by 3 and N by 1 x = +2

3CuO + 1x2 NH3 3 Cu + 1xN2

3CuO + 2NH3+ 0 H+ 3Cu + 1N2 + 3 H2O

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 Ion – electron method or Half reaction method.
Steps
1. Write the given reaction as it is, calculate the
oxidation number of each atoms.
2. Then calculate change in oxidation number, balance
the number of atoms.
3. Write the half reaction, then add H2O (पपपप) to that
side, which contains less number of oxygen atoms,
and then H+ ion to the opposite side H2O.
4. Write the half number of electrons of H+ ion to the
side of H+ ion.
5. Make the number of e- equal in both half reactions
by multiplication by suitable factor.
6. Add both the half reactions.

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 Problem 6.7
Balance the following unbalanced equation (in acidic
medium) by ion electron method (half reaction
method)

(+5) (+4) (+4) ClO31-

Mn+2 + Cl O31-→ MnO2 + ClO2

Single x+3(-2) = -1
x-4 = 0
Mn+2 + 2H2O → MnO2 + 4H++2e- x = +4
………….(1) MnO2
ClO31- + 2H++ 1e-→ ClO2 + 1H2O
…………..(2) x+2(-2) = 0
x-4 = 0
x = +4

ClO2

x+2(-2) = 0
x-4 = 0
x = +4

In eqn 1 & 2 the numbers of e- are not same, so in

order to make the same no’s of e- in both the
reaction….. multiply reaction (2) by (2)
We get,
2 ClO31- + 4H+ + 2e-→ 2ClO2 + 2H2O…………….(3)

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Now, add equation (1) & (3),

We get

Mn+2 + 2H2O → MnO2 + 4H+ + 2e-

2ClO31- + 4H+ + 2e_→ 2ClO2 + 2H2O

Mn+2 + 2ClO31-→ MnO2 + 2ClO2

Overall cell reaction

or
Net cell reaction
or
Balanced chemical reaction

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 Problem 6.8
Balanced the following unbalanced equation by ion-
electron method or half reaction method.

H2O2 + ClO41-→ ClO21- + O2 H2O2

2(1)+2(x) = 0
(-2) (+7) (+3) (0) 2+2x = 0
H2O2 + ClO41-→ ClO21- + O2 2x = -2

H2O2→ O2+2H++1e- 2O = O2 = -2
…………………………..(1)
ClO41- + 4H+ + 2e-→ ClO21- + 2H2O ClO41-
…………...(2)
In eqn (1) & (2), the number of x+4(-2) = -1
electrons are not same, so multiply x-8 = -1
eqn (1) by (2), in order to make the x = -1+8
no’s of e- same in both the reactions. x = +7
eqn 1 becomes…. ClO2
2H2O2→ 2O2+ 4H+ + 2e-
x+2(-2) = -1
Now adding eq (2) and (3)
n
x-4 = -1
We get x = -1+4
ClO41- + 4H++2e-→ ClO2 + 2H2O x = +3

2H2O2→ 2O2 + 4H+ + 2e- O2 = O

ClO41- + 2H2O2→ ClO21- + 2H2O + 2O2

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 Construction, Working and Redox Reactions in
Daniel cell
 Construction – Daniel cell is made up of two half
cells. These two half cells contains two metal plates
(Zinc plate and Copper plate). In the first half cell
zinc plate is immersed (dipped) in ZnSO4 solution
and in the second half cell, copper plate is immersed
(dipped) in CuSO4 solution. Both the metal plates (Cu
& Zn) are connected by an electric wire through a
switch and voltmeter. Both the solution (CuSO4 and
ZnSO4) are connected by Salt Bridge, as shown in
below fig.

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 Redox Reactions involved in Daniel cell

Oxidation at anode → Zn → Zn+2 + 2e-

Reduction at cathode → Cu+2 + 2e-→ Cu

Overall/Net cell reaction Zn + Cu+2→ Zn+2 + Cu

 Working of Daniel cell –

1. Zinc atoms on zinc plate lose electron and these
electrons flow from zinc plate to the copper plate,
through the wire.
2. In the second half cell, Cu+2 ions in the container
receive these electrons and are therefore reduced
to Cu metal and gets deposited on the copper
plate.
3. As a result of such flow/transfer of electrons,
there is flow of electric current in the circuit.
4. And, thereby electricity is generated by redox
reaction in Daniel cell.

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 Some important terms-

a. Electrode potential-
The electrical potential, which is generated at the
surface of electrode, is called as electrode
potential or Emf or (Ecell)

b. Cathode-
The electrode, at which reduction occurs is called
as Cathode

c. Anode-
The electrode, at which oxidation occurs, is called
as Anode

d.Electrode Reaction-
The reaction associated with an electrode is called
as electrode reaction.

e. Redox couple-
The two chemical species, which are linked by
transfer of electrons are called as Redox couple

f. Standard electrode potential-

The electrode potential at the Standard conditions
(concentration = 1 M, T = 298 K) is called as
Standard electrode potential (E0 cell)

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 Nature of Redox couple

(On the basis of E0cell value)

Large negative Large positive

(-ve) value of (+) ve of
E0cell E0cell
↓ ↓
Stronger Reducing Stronger
Agent Oxidizing agent

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 The End
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