I need to explain which species is oxidized and reduced, what the reducing agent and oxidizing is, and explain why for each of the following equations. One of them is not a reduction-oxidization problem and I need to explain why.
1. 2Na + Cl2 --> 2NaCl
2. Pb(NO3)2 + 2NaCl --> PbCl2 + 2NaNO3
3. 2PbS + 3O2 --> 2SO2
Thank you so much!!
Here is the information you need to answer the question.
Oxidation is the loss of electrons.
Reduction is the gain of electrons.
(Hints for #1. Na has an oxidation state of zero on the left and +1 on the right. Cl2 has an oxidation state of zero on the left and -1 on the right. Here is a site that will show you how to assign oxidation states if you don't know how.
http://www.chemteam.info/Redox/Redox-Rules.html
The equation which is not a redox equation can be determined by finding the equation in which none of the elements change oxidation state. Someone will be glad to critique your work if you care to post it.
Is Cl reduced and the oxidizing agent, while Na is oxidized and the reduction agent in number 1?
Is number two the one that is not an oxidization-reduction problem?
and in number 3, is O reduced and the oxidizing agent, while Pb is oxidized and the reduction agent?
thank you so much for your help!
right on all three. Go to the head of the class.
To determine the species that is oxidized and reduced in each equation, as well as identifying the reducing agent and oxidizing agent, you need to follow a few steps.
1. Write the oxidation states for each element in the chemical equation.
2. Compare the oxidation states before and after the reaction to identify the species that is oxidized and reduced.
3. Identify the reducing agent and oxidizing agent based on the species that undergoes the oxidation and reduction.
Let's apply these steps to each of the given equations:
1. 2Na + Cl2 --> 2NaCl:
- The oxidation states of sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl) are 0 in their elemental forms.
- In NaCl, sodium has an oxidation state of +1, while chlorine has an oxidation state of -1.
- In this reaction, chlorine is reduced from an oxidation state of 0 to -1, while sodium is oxidized from an oxidation state of 0 to +1.
- This implies that chlorine is the oxidizing agent since it causes the oxidation of sodium, and sodium is the reducing agent since it causes the reduction of chlorine.
2. Pb(NO3)2 + 2NaCl --> PbCl2 + 2NaNO3:
- The oxidation states of lead (Pb), nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), sodium (Na), and chlorine (Cl) are 0 in their elemental forms.
- In Pb(NO3)2, lead has an oxidation state of +2, nitrogen has an oxidation state of +5, and oxygen has an oxidation state of -2.
- In PbCl2, lead has an oxidation state of +2, and chlorine has an oxidation state of -1.
- In this reaction, there is no change in the oxidation states of any element. All the elements have the same oxidation states before and after the reaction.
- Consequently, this equation is not a redox (oxidation-reduction) reaction because there is no transfer of electrons between species.
3. 2PbS + 3O2 --> 2SO2:
- The oxidation states of lead (Pb), sulfur (S), and oxygen (O) are 0 in their elemental forms.
- In PbS, lead has an oxidation state of +2, and sulfur has an oxidation state of -2.
- In SO2, sulfur has an oxidation state of +4, and oxygen has an oxidation state of -2.
- In this reaction, sulfur is oxidized from an oxidation state of -2 to +4, while oxygen is reduced from an oxidation state of 0 to -2.
- Consequently, sulfur is the oxidizing agent since it causes the oxidation, and oxygen is the reducing agent since it causes the reduction of sulfur.
It's important to note that the second equation is not a redox (oxidation-reduction) reaction because there is no change in the oxidation states of any element, indicating no electron transfer between species.