REDOX REACTION
Redox Reaction
• Reaction in which both oxidation and reduction takes place
simultaneously is called as Redox reaction
• Number of phenomenon both physical and biological are concerned
with redox reaction
• In photosynthesis process
6CO2+ 3C → C6H12O6 + 6O2
• Extraction of metal from their ores
Fe2O3 + 3C → 3Fe + 2CO
Other reactions like rusting, corrosion, respiration, combustion involve
Redox reaction
CLASSICAL IDEA OF REDOX REACTIONS –
OXIDATION AND REDUCTION REACTIONS
Oxidation
• The addition of oxygen to a substance
• The addition of electronegative element to a substance
• Removal of hydrogen from a substance
• Removal of electropositive element from a substance.
Reduction
• Removal of oxygen from a substance
• Removal of Electronegative element from a substance
• Addition of hydrogen to a substance
• Addition of Electropositive element to a substance.
CLASSICAL IDEA OF REDOX REACTIONS –
OXIDATION AND REDUCTION REACTIONS
i. Mg is oxidized, O is reduced
ii. S is oxidized, O is reduced
iii. Mg is oxidized
iv. Mg is oxidized
v. (removal of oxygen from mercuric
oxide)
vi. (removal of electronegative
element)
vii. (addition of hydrogen)
viii. (addition of mercury to
mercuric
chloride)
REDOX REACTIONS IN TERMS OF ELECTRON
TRANSFER REACTIONS
terms of Electron transfer reaction
• Oxidation : Loss of electron(s) by any species.
• Reduction : Gain of electron(s) by any species.
• Oxidising agent : Acceptor of electron(s).
• Reducing agent : Donor of electron(s).
Competitive Electron Transfer Reactions
• The reaction between metallic zinc and the aqueous solution of
copper nitrate is:
zinc has lost electrons to form Zn2+ and, therefore, zinc is oxidized.
Copper ion is reduced by gaining electrons from the zinc.
• Copper rod in silver nitrate solution
The solution developes blue colour
due to
formation of Cu2+
Competitive Electron Transfer Reactions
• Who will give electron ?
This is decided by metal reactivity series
* The metals at the top of series are highly
electropositive
and have a strong reducing power
* Down the series the Electropositivity and reducing
power
decreases
Oxidation number
• The oxidation number is basically the count of electrons that atoms in
a molecule can share, lose or gain while forming chemical bonds with
other atoms of a different element.
• Oxidation number denotes the oxidation state of an element in a
compound ascertained according to a set of rules formulated on the
basis that electron pair in a covalent bond belongs entirely to more
electronegative element.
• The rules for the calculation of oxidation number.
Rule 1
• In elements, in the free or the uncombined state, each atom bears an
oxidation number of zero.
• H2, O2, Cl2, O3, P4, S8, Na, Mg, Al has the oxidation number zero.
Oxidation number
Rule 2
• For ions composed of only one atom, the oxidation number is equal to
the charge on the ion.
• Na+ ion has an oxidation number of +1,
• Mg2+ ion, +2,
• Fe3+ ion, +3,
• Cl– ion, –1,
• O2– ion, –2;
• All alkali metals have oxidation number of +1
• All alkaline earth metals have an oxidation number of +2
Oxidation number
Rule 3
• The oxidation number of oxygen in most compounds is –2.
• In peroxides (e.g., H2O2, Na2O2), each oxygen atom is assigned an
oxidation number of –1,
• In superoxides (e.g., KO2, RbO2) each oxygen atom is assigned an
oxidation number of –(½).
• when oxygen is bonded to fluorine.
• e.g., Oxygen difluoride (OF2) oxidation number of oxygen is +2
• Dioxygen difluoride (O2F2), oxidation number of oxygen is +1
Rule 4
• The oxidation number of hydrogen is +1,
• except when it is bonded to metals in binary compounds. For
example, in LiH, NaH, and CaH2, its oxidation number is –1.
Oxidation number
Rule 5
• In all its compounds, fluorine has an oxidation number of –1.
• Other halogens (Cl, Br, and I) have an oxidation number of –1, when
they occur as halides
• Chlorine, bromine and iodine when combined with oxygen have
positive oxidation numbers
• Ex, HOCl (hypochlorous acid) - +1
• HOClO (chlorous acid) - +3
• HOClO2 (chloric acid) - +5
• HOClO3 (perchloric acid) - +7
Oxidation number
Rule 6
• The algebraic sum of the oxidation number of all the atoms in a
compound must be zero
• the sum of oxidation number of three oxygen atoms and one carbon
atom in the carbonate ion, (CO3) 2– must equal –2
• The metallic elements have positive oxidation number and
nonmetallic elements have positive or negative oxidation number.
• highest oxidation number of a representative element is the group
number for the first two groups and the group number minus 10 for
the other groups.
• Ex. Group 14 = 14-10 =+4
