Ch.20 - Electrochemistry

Brown - Chemistry: The Central Science 14th Edition

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Brown 14th Edition

Ch.20 - Electrochemistry

Problem 23f

Chapter 20, Problem 23f

Complete and balance the following half-reactions. In each case, indicate whether the half-reaction is an oxidation or a reduction. (f) SO32-1aq2 ¡ SO42-1aq2 (basic solution)

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Identify the oxidation states of sulfur in \( \text{SO}_3^{2-} \) and \( \text{SO}_4^{2-} \).

Determine the change in oxidation state to identify if it is oxidation or reduction.

Balance the sulfur atoms on both sides of the equation.

Balance the oxygen atoms by adding water molecules to the side that needs more oxygen.

Balance the hydrogen atoms by adding hydroxide ions (OH\(^-\)) to the side that needs more hydrogen, and then balance the charges by adding electrons.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Oxidation and Reduction

Oxidation and reduction are chemical processes that involve the transfer of electrons between species. Oxidation refers to the loss of electrons, resulting in an increase in oxidation state, while reduction involves the gain of electrons, leading to a decrease in oxidation state. Understanding these concepts is crucial for identifying the nature of half-reactions in redox processes.

Balancing Half-Reactions

Balancing half-reactions is essential in redox chemistry to ensure that both mass and charge are conserved. This involves adjusting coefficients for reactants and products, as well as adding electrons to one side of the equation to account for the transfer of electrons. In basic solutions, hydroxide ions (OH-) and water (H2O) may also be used to balance the equation.

Basic Solution Conditions

In a basic solution, the presence of hydroxide ions (OH-) influences the balancing of redox reactions. When balancing half-reactions in basic conditions, it is important to add OH- ions to neutralize any H+ ions that may appear during the process. This ensures that the final balanced equation accurately reflects the conditions of the solution.

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Balancing Basic Redox Reactions

Related Practice

Textbook Question

Complete and balance the following half-reactions. In each case, indicate whether the half-reaction is an oxidation or a reduction. (a) Sn²⁺(aq) → Sn⁴⁺(aq) (acidic solution) (b) TiO₂(s) → Ti²⁺(aq) (acidic solution) (c) ClO₃^-(aq) → Cl^-(aq) (acidic solution) (d) N₂(g) → NH₄⁺(aq) (acidic solution)

Textbook Question

Complete and balance the following half-reactions. In each case indicate whether the half-reaction is an oxidation or a reduction. (a) Mo³⁺(aq) → Mo(s) (acidic solution) (b) H₂SO₃(aq) → SO₄^2-(aq) (acidic solution) (c) NO₃^-(aq) → NO(g) (acidic solution) (d) O₂(g) → H₂O(l) (acidic solution)

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Textbook Question

Complete and balance the following half-reactions. In each case indicate whether the half-reaction is an oxidation or a reduction. (g) Cr(OH)₃(s) → CrO₄^2-(aq) (basic solution)

Textbook Question

Hydrazine (N₂H₄) and dinitrogen tetroxide (N₂O₄) form a self-igniting mixture that has been used as a rocket propellant. The reaction products are N₂ and H₂O. (c) Which substance serves as the reducing agent and which as the oxidizing agent?

Textbook Question

Complete and balance the following equations, and identify the oxidizing and reducing agents: (a) Cr₂O₇^2-(aq) + I^-(aq) → Cr³⁺(aq) + IO₃^-(aq) (acidic solution) (b) MnO₄^-(aq) + CH₃O(1aq) → Mn²⁺(aq) + HCOOH(aq) (acidic solution) (c) I₂(s) + OCl^-(aq) → IO₃^-(aq) + Cl^-(aq) (acidic solution)

Textbook Question

Hydrazine (N₂H₄) and dinitrogen tetroxide (N₂O₄) form a self-igniting mixture that has been used as a rocket propellant. The reaction products are N₂ and H₂O. (a) Write a balanced chemical equation for this reaction.