Criterion A A (i) Outline scientific knowledge

ATL Cluster Creative thinking skills

ATL specific skills Develop multiple opposing , contradictory and complementary arguments.

Practice 1: Oxidation number

a- State the oxidation number of the assigned elements in the following formulae: Ai(1-2)

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Reaction number Oxidation number of

1 N: -3
H: +1

2 N: +5
O: -2

3 C: -3/+3
H: +1
O: -2

4 N: +3
O: -2

5 C: +4
O: -2

6 Mn: +3
O: -2

7 H: +1
C: +4
O: -2

8 P: +5
O: -2

9 Cl: +5
O: -2

10 S: +6
O: -2

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b- Outline the change in the oxidation number of chlorine and potassium in the following reaction:
Ai(3-4 )

*Chlorine: a change in oxidation number from zero to - 1

*Bromine: a change in oxidation number from-1 to zero

Practice 2 : What are redox reactions?

Read pages 137-138 in your text book.
a-Use Venn diagram to describe the difference between the old and new definitions of redox reactions.
Ai(5-6)

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b-In the following chemical reactions, assign the reductant and oxidant then explain your answer for each
reaction.
Ai(7-8)
Reaction 1:

Reductant Oxidant Explanation

Magnesium Oxygen -Magnesium is oxidized as it has

lost 2 electrons deduced by
monitoring the oxidation number
where it changed from 0 in the
reactants to +2 in the products so
it is the reductant (reducing
agent).

-Oxygen is reduced as it gained 2

electrons deduced by monitoring
the oxidation number where it
changed from 0 in the reactants
to -2 in the product so it is the
oxidant (oxidizing agent).

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Reaction 2:

Reductant Oxidant Explanation

Carbon Hydrogen -Carbon is oxidized as it has lost 2

electrons deduced by monitoring
the oxidation number where it
changed from +2 in the reactants
to +4 in the products so it is the
reductant (reducing agent).
-Hydrogen is reduced as it gained
1 electrons deduced by
monitoring the oxidation number
where it changed from +1 in the
reactants to 0 in the product so it
is the oxidant (oxidizing agent).

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Practice 1: What is electrolysis?

a- Read the following paragraph to educate yourself about electrolysis:

Electrolysis is the use of an electric current to separate a substance into its original
components/elements and it was through this process that a number of elements have been
discovered and are still produced in today's industry. In Electrolysis, an electric current it passed
through an electrolyte which is a material that can be broken down into ions upon melting or
dissolving in water.

Redox reactions take place at electrodes where the ions of the electrolyte are discharged at them
separating the electrolyte into its components.
a- State the meaning of the terms electrolyte and electrolysis.
Ai(1-2)
*An electrolyte: is a chemical compound that dissociates into ions and hence is capable of transporting an
electric current. Example: molten sodium chloride, where the ions are formed upon melting the ionic
compound.

*Electrolysis: is the breaking down of a compound into its components using electricity.

b- In the lab the teacher will set up an electrolytic cell to electroplate an iron nail by copper. Outline
the tools used to accomplish the electroplating of the nail with copper. Ai(3-4
)

To electroplate an iron nail with copper the following should be considered:

1- The Anode is the metal to electroplate the iron nail with which is copper metal, Cu(s).

2- The cathode is the object to be electroplated which is the iron nail.

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c-Describe the chemical reactions that take place at the cathode and anode including the observations at
each electrode. Ai(5-6)
-At the cathode: reduction of copper ions at the surface of the iron nail , where copper ions gain electrons
and convert into solid copper metal that deposit at the surface of the iron nail.

*Observation: red-pink deposit form at the cathode.

-At the anode: oxidation of copper metal that converts into copper ions that get embedded in the electrolyte.

*Observation: the electrode gets smaller in size / gets thinner.

Practice 2 : Electrolytic vs voltaic cells

a-Use Venn diagram to describe the difference between electrolytic and voltaic cells.
Ai(5-6)
Voltaic cells Electrolytic cells

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Practice Three: Voltage

a-In the lab the teacher will set up a voltaic cell composed of zinc half-cell connected to another metal halfcell
through the wires, voltmeter and the salt bridge. The cell will be allowed to run for 30 seconds then the
reading of the voltmeter will be measured and recorded.

The demo will be repeated keeping the zinc half-cell constant while replacing iron half-cell by Aluminium ,
copper and iron half cells to deduce the effect of changing one of the half-cells on the voltage of the cell .

Cell Voltage (V)

+ 0.03
Zinc-Iron

-0.02
Zinc-Aluminium

+0.97

Zinc-Copper

b-i) Deduce the relationship between the difference in reactivity between metals in half cells of a voltaic cell
and the voltage of cell.

The greater the difference between the metals in the reactivity series, the greater the voltage of the cell.

ii) Explain your answer to (i). Ai(7-8)

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Because the greater difference in reactivity between two metals means that the more reactive metal will have
great tendency to get oxidized and lose electrons before the other metal, which makes the redox reaction fast

and the reading of voltmeter high.