REDOX REACTIONS

Redox reaction : A chemical reaction

which contains both oxidation and
reduction simultaneously is called redox
reactions.
The redox reactions can be classify in to
•Combination Reactions.
•Decomposition Reactions.
•Displacement Reactions.
•Disproportionate Reactions.
Oxidation
The oxidation is the process of addition of oxygen
or removal of hydrogen or loss of electrons from
the outermost shell of an element or substance.

Examples:
1.CH₃CH₂OH → CH₃COOH
2.Li → Li²⁺
3.CH₃- CH₃ → CH₂=CH₂
Oxidizing agent
The substance that can oxidize a compound or
element during or after the chemical reaction it
is called oxidizing agent.

CH₃CH₂OH CH₃COOH
Reduction
The reduction is the process of addition of
hydrogen or removal of oxygen or gaining
of electrons in to the outermost shell of
an element or substance.
Examples:
1. FeO → Fe
2.Li²⁺ → Li
3.CH₂=CH₂ → CH₃-CH₃
Reducing agent
The substance that can reduce a
compound or element during or after the
chemical reaction it is called reducing
agent.
Eg: Sodium, Magnesium, Aluminium, Zinc, NaH, CaH2,
and LiAlH4.
Electrochemical series
The series of metals in order to their
reactivity is called reactivity series
of metals. The top most elements
in the series are highly reactive
metals and they can releases
electrons quickly. The hydrogen is
the reference element.
Oxidation number
Oxidation number of an element in a
compound is the residual charge on the
element when all the other atoms are
removed from it as ions.
A→ +3
B→ +2
C→ +1
Rules used for the calculation

of
oxidation number
1. The oxidation number of all elements in the
free or the uncombined state is zero.
For e.g. oxidation number of H2, O2, Cl2,
O3, P4, S8, Na, Mg, Al etc. is zero.

2. For simple ions, the oxidation number is equal

to the charge on the ion.
Thus Na+ ion has an oxidation number of
+1, Mg2+ ion +2, Fe3+ ion +3, Cl– ion –1,
O2– ion –2 and so on.
3. All alkali metals (Such as H, Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs,
Fr)have oxidation number of +1 and all alkaline earth
metals (Such as Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Ra)have an
oxidation number of +2.
Aluminium (Al) shows an oxidation number of +3 in
all of its compounds.

4. The common oxidation number of oxygen is – 2.

But in peroxides (like H2O2, Na2O2 etc.), oxidation
number of oxygen is – 1 and in superoxide (e.g., KO2,
RbO2), it is –½. In oxygen difluoride (OF2) and
dioxygen difluoride (O2F2), oxygen is assigned an
oxidation number of +2 and +1 respectively.
5. The common oxidation number of hydrogen is
+1. But it shows an oxidation number of -1 in
metal hydrides (like NaH, CaH2 etc.).

6. The common oxidation number of halogens is -

1. Fluorine shows only -1 oxidation number in all of
its compounds. But other halogens show positive
oxidation numbers also in their oxides and
oxoacids.
7. The algebraic sum of the oxidation numbers of
all the atoms in a compound is zero.

8. In polyatomic ion (such as SO₃, SO₂, CH₃COO⁻)

the sum of the oxidation numbers of all the atoms
is equal to charge on the ion.
Examples
Find the oxidation number of the underlined
elements.
1. KMnO₄ 6. CuSO₄ Answers
2. Al₂(SO₄)₃ 7. BaCl₂ 1. +7
2. +3
3. K₂Cr₂O₇ 8. Na₃PO₄ 3. +6
4. H₃BO₃ 9. Fe₂O₃ 4. +3
5. +3
5. B₂O₃ 10.KSCN 6. +2
7. +2
8. +1
9. +3
10.+1
Find the oxidation number of each atoms
present in the given chemical equation.

1. CuSO4 (aq) + Zn (s) → ZnSO4 (aq) + Cu (s)

2. CaC
3. Pb + Cu
4. + Cu
5. + Ba
Stock Notations
It is the representation of oxidation number of an
atom in roman numbers in brackets. This especially
for certain metallic compounds such as complex
compounds, organometallic compounds etc.
Examples
1. Ferrous (II) sulphate
2. Ferrous (III) Sulphate
3. Aluminium (III) chloride
4. mercury( (II) sulphate
 TYPES OF REDOX REACTIONS

1. Combination reactions
2. Decomposition reactions
3. Displacement reactions
a) Metal displacement reactions
b) Non-metal displacement reactions
4. Disproportionation reactions
1. Combination reaction

When two or more substances (Elements or

compounds) combine to form a single product,
the reactions are called combination reaction.

A+B → (AB)
Examples

N+ HCl Cl

4 𝐻 2 +𝑂 2 →2 𝐻 2 𝑂

2 𝐶𝑂 +𝑂 2 →2 𝐶 𝑂 2
2. Decomposition reaction

In a chemical reaction a single compound

(Reactant) which separates into two or more
products under suitable condition is called
decomposition reaction.
Examples

CaC

O
3. Displacement reaction
In a chemical reaction when an atom or molecule is
displaced by another atom or molecule is called
displacement reaction

Aa
Metal displacement reactions: Here a metal in a
compound is displaced by another metal in the
uncombined state. These reactions find many
applications in metallurgical processes in which pure
metals are obtained from their compounds in ores.

+ Cu

Zn + Fe

Pb + Cu
Non-metal displacement reactions: The non-metal
displacement redox reactions mainly include hydrogen
displacement. All alkali metals and some alkaline
earth metals (Ca, Sr, and Ba) will displace hydrogen
from cold water. Less active metals such as
magnesium and iron react with steam and produce
hydrogen gas.
Disproportionation reactions: These are a
special type of redox reaction. In a
disproportionation reaction, an element in one
oxidation state is simultaneously oxidised and
reduced.
Balancing of Redox Reactions
1.Oxidation Number Method
2.Half reaction method
Steps to balance the redox reactions
Step 1: Write the correct formula for each reactant and
product.

Step 2: Assign the oxidation number of each element and

identify the atoms which undergo change in oxidation
number.

Step 3: Calculate the change in oxidation number per atom

and equate them by multiplying with suitable coefficients.
Step 4: Balance all the atoms except oxygen and
hydrogen.

Step 5: Now equate the ionic charges on both sides of the

equation by adding H+ or OH– ions on the appropriate side.
If the reaction is carried out in acidic solution, use H+ ions
in the equation; if in basic solution, use OH– ions.

Step 6: Make the numbers of hydrogen atoms in the

expression on the two sides equal by adding water (H2O)
molecules to the reactants or products. Now, also check the
number of oxygen atoms.
Balance the following Redox equation by
oxidation number method :
P₄(s) + OH⁻(aq) → PH₃(g) + HPO₂⁻ (aq)

Answer
5P₄ + 12OH⁻ + 12H₂O → 8PH₃ + 12 HPO₂⁻
Balance the following Redox equation by
oxidation number method.

1. Sn + Hg → Hg₂ + Sn
2. MnO₄⁻ + Fe²⁺ + 8H⁺ → Fe³⁺ + Mn²⁺ + H₂O
3. Cr₂O₇²⁻ + Fe²⁺ → Fe³⁺ + Cr³⁺ + H₂O
4. Cu + NO₃⁻ + H⁺ → NO + Cu²⁺ + H₂O
Steps to balance the half reaction method

Step 1: Produce unbalanced equation for the reaction in ionic form.

Assign the oxidation number of each element and find out the
substance oxidised and reduced.

Step 2: Separate the equation into half reactions - oxidation half

reaction and reduction half reaction.

Step 3: Balance the atoms other than O and H in each half reaction
individually.
Step 4: For reactions occurring in acidic medium, add H2O to balance O
atoms and H+ to balance H atoms. In basic medium also add equal
number of OH ions on both sides of the equation.

Step 5: Now balance the ionic charges. For this add electrons to one side
of the half reaction. Make the number of electrons equal in the two half
reactions by multiplying one or both half reactions by appropriate
coefficients.
Step 6: Now add the two half reactions to get the overall reaction and
cancel the electrons on each side.

Step 7: Verify that the equation contains the same type and number of
atoms and the same charges on both sides.
Q2) Balance the following Redox equation by ion-electron method (Half
reaction method)

Cl₂O₇ + H ₂O₂ → ClO₂⁻ + O₂ + H⁺

+7 -2 +1 -1 +3 -2 0 +1
Step-1: Cl₂ O₇ + H₂ O₂ → Cl O₂⁻ + O₂ + H⁺

Step-2: Oxidation half H₂ O₂ → O₂

Reduction half Cl₂ O₇ → Cl O₂⁻
Step-3: Oxidation half H₂ O₂ → O₂
Reduction half Cl₂ O₇ → 2 Cl O₂⁻

Step-4: Oxidation half H₂ O₂ → O₂ + 2 H⁺

Reduction half Cl₂ O₇ + 6 H⁺ → 2 Cl O₂⁻ + 3 H₂O

Step-5: Oxidation half H₂ O₂ → O₂ + 2 H⁺ + 2e

Reduction half Cl₂ O₇ + 6 H⁺ + 8e → 2 Cl O₂⁻ + 3 H₂O
Step-6: Oxidation half [H₂ O₂ → O₂ + 2 H⁺ + 2e] x 4
Reduction half Cl₂O₇ + 6H⁺ + 8e → 2ClO₂⁻ + 3H₂O

There for : 4 H₂O₂ → 4O₂ + 8H⁺ + 8e

Cl₂O₇ + 6H⁺ + 8e → 2ClO₂⁻ + 3H₂O

Final answer : 4 H₂O₂ + Cl₂O₇ → 4O₂ + 2H⁺ + 2ClO₂⁻ + 3H₂O

 REDOX REACTIONS
AND
ELECTRODE PROCESSES
Electrochemical cell (galvanic cell) is a device that converts
chemical energy of a redox reaction to electrical energy. Any
electrochemical cell contains two electrodes, anode and cathode.
The electrode at which oxidation takes place is the anode and the
other electrode at which reduction occurs is the cathode.

An example for electrochemical is Daniel cell.

Daniel cell