OXIDATION STATES

• When using oxidation states, we effectively imagine everything to be an ion – the oxidation state is the charge it would
have if it was an ion.

• RULES for assigning oxidation states:

a) On simple ions, the oxidation state is the charge on the ion

2+ -
e.g. Cu (Cu +2); Cl (Cl –1); Al2O3 (Al +3, O -2)

b) In elements, the oxidation state is always zero

e.g. Cl2 (Cl 0)

c) The total of all the oxidation states must always equal the overall charge on the species.

d) In molecules and more complex ions, the more electronegative element is assumed to be the negative ion

e) H is nearly always +1 and oxygen –2

e.g. CH4 (C -4,
4, H +1); CO2 (C +4, O -2); H2O (H +1, O -2)

1) Calculate the oxidation state of the stated element in each of the following species:

2+
species Fe FeCl3 FeCl2 K2FeO4 [Fe(H2O)6]

oxidation state Fe .. Fe .. Fe .. Fe .. Fe ..

- -
species Cl2 ClO3 ClO Cl2O7 Cl2O3

oxidation state Cl .. Cl .. Cl .. Cl .. Cl ..

2) Calculate the oxidation state of each element in the following:

species SO2 S8 SO3 H2S NH3

oxidation state S . O . S .. S . O . H . S . N . H .

- 2-
species NO2 NO3 N2 KCl SO4

oxidation state N . O . N . O . N .. K . Cl . S . O .

2- -
species Na2CO3 Cr2O3 CrO3 MnO4 MnO4

oxidation state Na. C . O . Cr . O . Cr . O . Mn . O . Mn . O .

species Cu2O CuO KCuCl2 NaH H2O2

oxidation state Cu . O . Cu . O . K. Cu . Cl . Na . H . H . O .

© www.CHEMSHEETS.co.uk 11-December-2015 Chemsheets AS 1034

• Range of oxidation states – this is limited by the position of an element in the Periodic Table as the diagram below
shows.
• For example, N is in group 5 and could lose up to 5 electrons (oxidation state +5) or gain 3 electrons (oxidation state
-3) before another shell of electrons is affected.
•

• With the transition metals, they usually have positive oxidation states as they are metals, losing electrons until they
reach a Group 0 noble gas electron configuration, but not usually being higher than +7 in practice

+4 to –4 +5 to –3

max +5 max +7
C N +6 to –2

S
Ti V Cr Mn Fe Br
+7 to –1

max +4 max +6 highest

seen is +6

3) Give the likely range of oxidation state for each of the following elements.

a) phosphorus 

b) silicon 

c) iodine 

d) gallium 

4) State whether each of these oxidation states is likely to occur in stable compounds.

a) Sc +3 .

b) Ni +2 .

c) K +2 .

d) W +6 .

e) Se -3 .

f) Mo +7 .

g) Sb +5 .

© www.CHEMSHEETS.co.uk 11-December-2015 Chemsheets AS 1034

 WRITING HALF EQUATIONS

STEP EXAMPLE 1 EXAMPLE 2

2+ + -
1. Calculate oxidation states on each VO → VO2 BrO3 → Br2
side of the equation. V +4 V +5 Br+5 Br 0

2+ + -
2. Balance the element changing VO → VO2 2 BrO3 → Br2
oxidation state.
V already balanced 2 Br on right so need 2 BrO3- on left

2+ + - - -
3. Sort out electrons. If the oxidation VO → VO2 + e 2 BrO3 + 10 e → Br2
state becomes more negative then it
V becomes 1 more positive so 1 2x Br become 5 more negative so 10
gains electrons. If the oxidation state electron lost electrons gained
becomes more positive then
electrons are lost.
2+ + - - -
4. Sort out Os. For every O gained/lost, VO + H2O → VO2 + e 2 BrO3 + 10 e → Br2 + 6 H2O
add/remove one H2O molecule.
1 less O on left so add 1 H2O on the 6 more O on left so need 6 H2O on the right
left

2+ + - + - - +
5. Sort out Hs. For every H gained/lost, VO + H2O → VO2 + e + 2 H 2 BrO3 + 10 e + 12 H → Br2 + 6 H2O
+
add/remove one H ion.
2 less H on right so add 2 H= to right 12 less H on left so add 12 H= to left

6. Check – if the total electric charge on Left = 2+, 0 = 2+ Left = 2-,, 10-,
10 12+ = 0
the left equals that on the right then it Right = 1+, 1-, 2+ = 2+ Right = 0, 0 = 0
is probably correct. If it is not then
you know you have gone wrong!

+
a) Na → Na 

4+ 2+
b) Pb → Pb 

+
c) H2 → H 

-
d) Br → Br2 ...

2- 3+
e) Cr2O7 → Cr 

2-
f) SO4 → S 

© www.CHEMSHEETS.co.uk 26-Jun-2015 Chemsheets AS 1035

 2-
g) SO4 → H2S 

2-
h) SO4 → SO2 

-
i) N2 → NO3 

-
j) IO3 → I2 

2+ 2+
k) Hg → Hg2 

2+ +
l) VO → VO2 

2-
m) S2O3 → S 

- -
n) NO3 → NO2 

© www.CHEMSHEETS.co.uk 26-Jun-2015 Chemsheets AS 1035

 COMBINING HALF EQUATIONS

The two half equations are added together so that the electrons cancel out.
- + - 2+ - -
e.g. combine MnO4 + 8 H + 5 e → Mn + 4 H2O and 2 Cl → Cl2 + 2 e
The first equation has 5 electrons and the second has 2 electrons. To balance these out, multiply the first by 2 (to give 10
electrons) and the second by 5 (to give 10 electrons)
- + - 2+
x2 2 MnO4 + 16 H + 10 e → 2 Mn + 8 H2O
- -
x5 10 Cl → 5 Cl2 + 10 e
- + - - 2+ -
combining 2 MnO4 + 16 H + 10 e + 10 Cl → 2 Mn + 8 H2O + 5 Cl2 + 10 e
- + - 2+
final answer 2 MnO4 + 16 H + 10 Cl → 2 Mn + 8 H2O + 5 Cl2

+
Sometimes H and/or H2O may appear on both sides of the combined equation – these should be cancelled down. For
example if there are 10 H2O on the left and 2 H2O on the right, this cancels down to 8 H2O on the left.

Look at the following half equations. Use these to create the redox equations stated below.
- + - 2+
MnO4 + 8 H + 5 e → Mn + 4 H2O
2- + - 3+
FeO4 + 8 H + 3 e → Fe + 4 H2O
+ -
H2O2 → 2 H + O2 + 2 e
3+ 4+ -
Ce → Ce + e
2- -
C2O4 → 2 CO2 + 2 e

3+ + -
1) oxidation of Ce by H /MnO4 .




+ -
2) oxidation of H2O2 by H /MnO4 ..






2- + -
3) oxidation of C2O4 by H /MnO4 .




3+ + 2-
4) oxidation of Ce by H /FeO4 ...




+ 2-
5) oxidation of H2O2 by H /FeO4 




2- + 2-
6) oxidation of C2O4 by H /FeO4






© www.CHEMSHEETS.co.uk 26-Jun-2015 Chemsheets AS 1036

 REDOX REACTIONS OR NOT?

Oxidation and reduction

O xidation
I s
L oss
of electrons
R eduction
I s
G ain

Redox reactions

In any reaction where one species is oxidised (loses electrons), another must be reduced (gains electrons). Both reduction
and oxidation take place and so they are called redox reactions.

Definitions in terms of electrons: oxidation = loss of electrons

reduction = gain of electrons
oxidising agent = species that removes electrons from another
reducing agent = species that gives electrons to another

Note that the oxidising agent removes electrons from a species and so is itself reduced as it gains electrons. Similarly, a
reducing agent is itself oxidised.

2+ -
OXIDATION Mg Mg + 2e
2+
Mg oxidised from 0 to +2 (loses electrons) to form Mg
-
Oxidising agent = HCl (Cl in HCl takes away electrons from Mg)

Mg + 2 HCl MgCl2 + H2
Mg 0 Mg +2
H +1 H0 + -
Cl -1 Cl -1 REDUCTION 2H + 2e H2
+
H reduced from +1 to 0 (gains electrons) to form H2
+
Reducing agent = Mg (Mg gives electrons to H in HCl)

Disproportionation reactions

In a disproportionation reaction, a species is simultaneously oxidised and reduced.

e.g. Cl2 + H2O → HCl + HOCl

Cl 0 -1 +1
H +1 +1 +1 Cl reduced from 0 to -1 and oxidised from 0 to +1 redox reaction
O -2 - (disproportionation)

Complete the table over the page about the following reactions.

© www.CHEMSHEETS.co.uk 05-Jan-2016 Chemsheets AS 1037

 Redox Dispropor-
Species Species Oxidising Reducing
Equation (write oxidation states) reaction tionation
(/) oxidised reduced agent agent
(/)

e.g. Mg + 2 HCl → MgCl2 + H2

Mg 0 +2
H +1 0   Mg HCl HCl Mg
Cl -1 -1

1 Na2O + H2O → 2 NaOH

2 2 SO2 + O2 → 2 SO3

3 2 NaBr + H2SO4 → Na2SO4 + 2 HBr

4 2 KBr + F2 → Br2 + 2 KF

5 2 H2O2 → 2 H2O + O2

6 HCl + NaOH → NaCl + H2O

7 Cl2 + 2 H2O → 4 HCl + O2

8 BaCl2 + H2SO4 → BaSO4 + 2 HCl

9 Cl2 + 2 NaOH → NaCl + NaOCl + H2O

10 3 MnO42- + 4 H+ → 2 MnO4- + MnO2 + 2 H2O

11 (NH4)2Cr2O7 → Cr2O3 + N2 + 4 H2O

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