General Chemistry

CH 110

Reactions in Aqueous Solutions 4

Half-Reactions

 All redox reactions can be thought of as

happening in two halves.
 One half produces electrons - Oxidation half.
 The other requires electrons - Reduction half.
 Write the half reactions for the following.
 2Na + Cl2  2Na+ + 2Cl-
Balancing Redox Equations

 Redox reactions can be balanced by breaking

the reaction equation into half-reactions.
 The equations for Redox reactions can be
balanced using two methods
 Using oxidation states.
 Using half-reactions.
Balancing Redox Equations Using Oxidation States

 Write the unbalanced equation.

 Determine the oxidation states of all the
atoms in the reactants & products.
 Show electrons gained & lost using “tie lines”
Acidic Solution

 Use coefficients to equalize the electrons

gained & lost.
 Balance the rest of the equation by inspection.
 Add appropriate state symbols.
Example 1

 Balance the following redox reaction using

oxidation numbers.
Fe2O3(s)+CO(g)→Fe(s)+CO2(g)
 Step 1: Assign oxidation numbers to each of
the atoms in the equation and write the
numbers above the atom.
 Step 2: Identify the atoms that are oxidized
and those that are reduced.
 In the above equation, the carbon atom is being
oxidized since its oxidation increases from +2 to
+4.
 The iron atom is being reduced since its oxidation
number decreases from +3 to 0
 Step 3: Use a line to connect the atoms that
are undergoing a change in oxidation
number.
 On the line, write the oxidation-number change.
 Step 4: Use coefficients to make the total
increase in oxidation number equal to the
total decrease in oxidation number.
 The coefficient is also applied to the formulas in
the equation.
 Step 5: Check the balancing for both atoms
and charge.
Fe2O3(s)+3CO(g)→2Fe(s)+3CO2(g)
Try these!
 Balance the following redox reactions.

1. Cu + Ag+ → Ag + Cu2+

2. Balance the reaction between lead (II) oxide

and ammonia gas to produce nitrogen gas, liquid
water, and solid lead.
 Half reaction method of balancing
redox reactions
 To balance redox rxns occurring in aqueous
solutions, separate them into half-reactions.
 One half-reaction is for oxidation while the other
is for reduction.
 Balance the half reactions separately and then add
the two balanced equations.
 Approach differs slightly depending on whether
the reaction takes place in acidic or basic solution.
 Balancing Redox reactions in acidic media
 Balance the following redox rxn in acidic media
MnO4-(aq) + Fe2+(aq) → Fe3+(aq) + Mn2+(aq)
 Step 1: Identify & write the two half-reactions.
MnO4- → Mn2+ Reduction half-reaction
Fe2+ → Fe3+ Oxidation half-reaction
 Step 2: Balance each half-reaction
 Balance all the elements except H and O
 Mn is balanced
 Balance oxygen by adding water
 MnO4- (aq) → Mn2+(aq) + 4H2O(l)
 Balance H by adding H+
 8H+(aq) + MnO4- (aq) → Mn2+(aq) + 4H2O(l)
 Balance the charge using electrons
 5e- + 8H+(aq) + MnO4- (aq) → Mn2+(aq) + 4H2O(l)
 Do the same for the oxidation reaction
  Fe2+ → Fe3+
 Fe2+(aq) → Fe3+(aq) + e-
 Step 3: If necessary, multiply one or both
half-reactions by an integer to equalize the
number of electrons transferred.
 Multiply the oxidation reaction by 5
 5Fe2+(aq) → 5Fe3+(aq) + 5e-
 Step 4: Add the two half-reactions and cancel
identical species.
 5e- + 8H+(aq) + MnO4- + 5Fe2+(aq) (aq) →
Mn2+(aq) + 4H2O(l) + 5Fe3+(aq) + 5e-
 5e- + 8H+(aq) + MnO4- + 5Fe2+(aq) (aq) →
Mn2+(aq) + 4H2O(l) + 5Fe3+(aq) + 5e-
 Step 5: Check that elements & charges balance.
 8H+(aq) + MnO4- + 5Fe2+(aq) (aq) → Mn2+(aq) +
4H2O(l) + 5Fe3+(aq)
 More examples

 Potassium dichromate is a bright orange

compound that can be reduced to a blue-violet
solution of Cr3+ ions. Under certain conditions
potassium dichromate reacts with ethyl alcohol as
follows:
H+(aq) + Cr2O72-(aq) + C2H5OH(l) → Cr3+(aq) + CO2(g) +
H2O(l)
Balance this equation using the half-reaction method.
Balancing Redox reactions in basic media

 Silver is sometimes found in nature as large

nuggets; more often it is found mixed with
other metals and their ores. An aqueous
solution containing cyanide ion is often used
to extract the silver using the following
reaction that occurs in basic solution:
 Ag(s) + CN-(aq) + O2(g) → Ag(CN)2-(aq)
 Balance this equation using the half-reaction
method.
 Step 1: Balance the equation as if H+ ions
were present.
 Balance the oxidation half-reaction
 Balance C and N
 Ag(s) + 2CN-(aq) → Ag(CN)2-(aq)
 Balance the charge
 Ag(s) + 2CN-(aq) → Ag(CN)2-(aq) + e-
 Balance the reduction half-reaction
 O2(g) →
 Balance oxygen by adding water
 O2(g) → 2H2O(l)
 Balance H by adding H+
 O2(g) + 4H+(aq) → 2H2O(l)
 Balance the charge by adding electrons
 4e- + O2(g) + 4H+(aq) → 2H2O(l)
 Multiply the balanced oxidation half-reaction by 4
 4Ag(s) + 8CN-(aq) → 4Ag(CN)2-(aq) + 4e-
  Add the half reactions and cancel identical species
 4e- + O2(g) + 4H+(aq) + 4Ag(s) + 8CN-(aq) →
4Ag(CN)2-(aq) + 2H2O(l) + 4e-
 4e- + O2(g) + 4H+(aq) + 4Ag(s) + 8CN-(aq) →
4Ag(CN)2-(aq) + 2H2O(l) + 4e-
 O2(g) + 4H+(aq) + 4Ag(s) + 8CN-(aq) →
4Ag(CN)2-(aq) + 2H2O(l)
 Step 2: Add OH- ions on both sides of the
equation to eliminate H+
 This eliminates H+ by forming water
  O2(g) + 4H+(aq) + 4OH-(aq) + 4Ag(s) + 8CN-(aq) →
4Ag(CN)2-(aq) + 2H2O(l) + 4OH-(aq)
 O2(g) + 4H2O(l) + 4Ag(s) + 8CN-(aq) → 4Ag(CN)2-(aq)
+ 2H2O(l) + 4OH-(aq)
 Step 3: Eliminate the number of water molecules
that appear on both sides of the equation
 O2(g) + 4H2O(l) + 4Ag(s) + 8CN-(aq) → 4Ag(CN)2-(aq) +
2H2O(l) + 4OH-(aq)
 O2(g) + 2H2O(l) + 4Ag(s) + 8CN-(aq) → 4Ag(CN)2-(aq) + 4OH-
(aq)
 Step 4: Check that the elements and charges are balanced