REDOX REACTION

for GENERAL CHEMISTRY 2 /Grade 12

Quarter 4 / Week 5

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 FOREWORD

This self-learning kit serves as a guide for STEM

students in learning the redox reaction. This may
become an instrument in the development of students
who are critical problem solvers, lifetime learners,
responsible stewards of Mother Earth, truth seekers,
impartial decision makers, responsive and ingenious
citizens, and effective communicators.

This kit may accompany the students in their journey

as they explore the intricacies of MATTER through
science amidst COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson the learners are expected to:

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K : define oxidation and reduction reactions.
S : balance redox reactions using the change in oxidation
number method
A : display appreciation on the different applications of redox
reaction.

LEARNING COMPETENCIES
- Define oxidation and reduction reactions (STEM_GC11ABIVf-
g169)
- Balance redox reactions using the change in oxidation
number method (STEM_GC11ABIVf-g-170)

I. WHAT HAPPENED
Pre-Activity/Pre-test

Answer the following briefly.

1. Define oxidation and reduction reactions. Give at least 2
examples.
2. What are the oxidation states of all atoms of potassium
permanganate (KMnO4)?

II. WHAT I NEED TO KNOW

DISCUSSION

Redox Reactions

Redox reactions or oxidation-reduction reactions are also

involved in the combustion of certain substances. For example,
when coal is burned, it reacts with oxygen in the air to form
carbon dioxide. During combustion, carbon is oxidized, and
oxygen is reduced. Redox are reactions that involve the transfer
of one or more electrons. Many biochemical reactions involve
redox reactions especially those necessary for producing
adenosine triphosphate (ATP) from carbohydrates, proteins, or
fats. Redox reactions are also important in the field of analytical

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chemistry for quantitative determination of a wide array of
analytes.

Because oxidation-reduction reactions take place

simultaneously, the complete redox equation is composed of
two half reactions: (1) oxidation and (2) reduction. The overall
redox reaction is the sum of the two half-reactions.

Oxidation

Oxidation involves the loss of electrons. Here is an example of

an oxidation process:

2 Br-(aq) → Br2(l) + 2e-

Oxidation of bromide to bromine involves the loss of two

electrons. The substance responsible for oxidation in the redox
reaction is called an oxidizing agent (an electron acceptor).

Reduction

Reduction, on the other hand involves the gain of electrons as

shown by the following reaction:

Cu2+(aq) + 2e- → Cu(s)

The reduction of copper (II) ions in aqueous solution into

copper metal involves adding two electrons. The substance
responsible for this reaction is called the reducing agent (an
electron donor).
To track the flow of electrons, the oxidation numbers of
elements participating in the redox reaction are determined. If
a reaction is accompanied with a change in the oxidation
number of participating elements, a redox reaction may have
taken place.

Rules in Assigning Oxidation Numbers

1. The oxidation number of a monoatomic ion is equal to its

charge.
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 2. The oxidation state of an elemental substance is zero.
3. Hydrogen is assigned an oxidation state of +1 when
coupled with nonmetals though a covalent bond. However,
if hydrogen is in combination with metals, then its
oxidation state is -1.
4. Oxygen has an oxidation state of -2 in its covalent
compounds, -1 in peroxides, ½ in superoxide, and – 1/3 in
ozonide.
5. For fluorine, the oxidation number is -1 in all compounds.
6. The sum of the oxidation numbers must be zero for a
neutral compound. For charged compounds, the sum of
their oxidation numbers is equal to the total charge of that
compound.

For example, determine the oxidation state of nitrogen N in

nitric acid HNO3.
HNO3
+1 -2 x 3 = -6
+5

HNO3 = 0
1 + 5 + (-2 x 3) = 0
6 + (-6) = 0

Because HNO3 is a neutral compound, the sum of the oxidation

numbers is zero. As stated previously, oxide compounds have
an oxidation number of -2, which has to be multiplied by three
(there are three atoms of oxygen in the molecular formula), and
the oxidation number of H is +1. Thus, N would have an
oxidation number of +5.

Balancing a Redox Reactions

Two methods can be employed for balancing redox reactions:

1. Oxidation state method
2. Half-reaction method

1. Oxidation State Method

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 The first step in balancing redox reactions using the
oxidation number method is to specify the oxidation number of
all atoms. Consider the following reaction:

Al(s) + HCl(aq) → AlCl3(aq) + H2(g)

0 +1 +3 0
-1 -1 x 3 = -3

All atoms undergo loss of electrons from 0 to +3 (oxidized),

whereas hydrogen atoms undergo a change in their oxidation
state from +1 to 0 (reduced). Then, remember this rule:
total increase in oxidation state = total decrease in oxidation
state There is an increase in oxidation state of 3; therefore, +3
must be multiplied by one. On the other hand, a decrease in
the oxidation state of 1 was noted. Therefore, the decrease
must be multiplied by three.

Al(s) + 3 HCl(aq) → products

Balance the rest of the equation through inspection.

Al(s) + 3 HCl(aq) → AlCl3(aq) + H2(g)

Then multiply both sides by two.

2 Al(s) + 6 HCl(aq) → 2 AlCl3(aq) + 3 H2(g)

2. Half-Reaction Method

Generally, a half reaction is written in the standard reduction

reaction following the format,

Oxid + ne- → Red

where Oxid is the oxidized species, Red represents the reduced

species, and ne- represents the number of electrons transferred
depending on the balanced stoichiometric reaction. Therefore,
any redox reaction can be expressed as the difference of the
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two reduction half-reactions. However, this expression my also
apply even if the reaction is not a redox reaction.
Balancing redox reactions through the half-reaction method
entails balancing the two half-reactions separately, and then
adding the two to give the overall balanced equation. Redox
reactions may occur in either acidic solution or basic solution.

Balancing Redox Reactions in Acidic Solution

For example, the following reaction occurs in an acidic solution:

MnO4-(aq) + Br-(aq) → Mn2+(aq) + Br2(l)

Consider the following reduction half-reactions:

MnO4-(aq) → Mn2+(aq)
Br-(aq) → Br2(l)

Based on the net redox equation given previously, the

permanganate ion is reduced to Mn2+(aq) whereas aqueous Br-(aq)
is oxidized to liquid bromine Br2(l).

First, write the oxidation nd reduction half-reactions.

Oxidation: Br-(aq) → Br2(l)

Reduction: MnO4-(aq) → Mn2+(aq)

Then balance each half-reaction. The last elements to be

balanced are hydrogen and oxygen atoms. The reaction is
conducted in acidic medium; thus, oxygen should be balanced
with the addition of H2O and hydrogen should be balanced with
the addition of H+. H2O is added to the side of the equation that
lacks oxygen, as shown in the following reaction:

2Br-(aq) → Br2(l)
8 H+ + MnO4-(aq) → Mn2+(aq) + 4H2O

Next, balance the charge(s) using electrons. In the oxidation

hlf-reaction, the left hand side has a charge of -2 and the right
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hand side has zero charge. 2e- must be added to the right hnd
side of the equation.

Oxidation: Br-(aq) → Br2(l) + 2e-

On the other hand, the left-hand side of the reduction half

reaction has a total charge of +7 and the right hnd side yields a
total charge of +2. 5e- is added to the left hand side of the
reaction.

Reduction: 5e- + 8H+ + MnO4-(aq) → Mn2+(aq) + 4H2O

The oxidation half reaction loses 2e -, whereas the reduction

half reaction gained 5e-. In this case, both the balanced
halfreactions must be multiplied each by n integer such that
the numbers of electrons transferred in the two hal-f reactions
are equal.

5 [Br-(aq) → Br2(l) + 2e-]

2 [5e- + 8H+ + MnO4-(aq) → Mn2+(aq) + 4H2O]

Add the two half-reactions and then cancel identical elements

locted on opposite sides of the equation. Finally, perform an
accounting of each element in the overall equation, making
sure that each element and each charge re balanced.

Oxidation: 10Br-(aq) → 5Br2(l) + 10e-

Reduction: 10e- + 16H+ + 2MnO4-(aq) → 2Mn2+(aq) +
8H2O

Overall
reaction 10Br-(aq)+ 6H+ + 2MnO4-(aq) → 5Br2(l) + 2Mn2+
(aq) + 8H2O

Balancing Redox Reactions in Basic Solution

Consider the following reaction:

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 CrI3(s) + Cl2(g) → CrO42-(aq) + IO4-(aq) + Cl-(aq)

Write the equations for the two half-reactions.

Reduction: Cl2(g) → Cl-(aq)

Oxidation: CrI3(s) → CrO42-(aq) + IO4-(aq)
Balance each half reaction by inspection except for O, H and
the charges.
Cl2(g) → 2Cl-(aq)
CrI3(s) → CrO42-(aq) + 3IO4-(aq)

Balance the oxygen and hydrogen atoms by adding OH - and

H2O. Balance the oxygen atoms by adding H2O.

16H2O(l) + CrI3(s) → CrO42-(aq) + 3IO4-(aq)

Next, balance the hydrogen atoms by adding H 2O on the side

that requires H. Then add the same number of OH - ions on the
opposite side of the reaction.

32OH-(aq) + 16H2O(l) + CrI3(s) → CrO42-(aq) + 3IO4-(aq) +

32H2O(l)

Balance the charge in each half-reaction by adding electrons.

2e- + Cl2(g) → 2 Cl-(aq)

32OH-(aq) +16 H2O(l) + CrI3(s) → CrO42-(aq) + 3IO4-(aq) + 32H2O(l) +
27e-

Multiply each of the two half reactions by an integer to

abalance the electric charges in the two half-reactions.

54e- + 27Cl2(g) → 54 Cl-(aq)

64OH-(aq) + 32H2O(l) + 2CrI3(s) → 2CrO42-(aq) + 6IO4-(aq) + 64H2O(l) +
54e-

Obtain the overall equation by adding the two half-reactions.

Cancel out identical species locted on the opposite side of the
equations to simplify the balanced equation.
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 54e- + 27Cl2(g) → 54Cl-(aq) 32
64OH (aq) + 32H2O(l) + 2CrI3(s) → 2CrO4 (aq) + 6IO4 (aq) + 64H2O(l) +
- 2- -

54e-

64OH-(aq) + 27Cl2(g) + 2CrI3(s) → 54Cl-(aq) + 2CrO42-(aq) + 6IO4-(aq) +

32H2O(l)

Reflect Upon

Answer Chemical reactions need to be balanced,

just briefly.
like the activities in your life. How do you keep things in
your
life balanced?

III. WHAT HAVE I LEARNED

Evaluation/Post-test

A. Calculations. Answer the following. Show each step.

1. Balance the following redox reaction that takes place in an

acidic solution using the oxidation number method:

Fe2O3(s) + CO(g) → Fe(s) + CO2(g)

2. Balance the following redox reaction using the half-

reaction method.

Fe2+(aq) + Cr2O72-(aq) → Fe3+(aq) + Cr3+(aq)

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