Gabrielle D.

Luna

Chapter 19 Outline: Redox Reactions

Section 19.1: Oxidation and Reduction
Oxidation and reduction are complimentary—as an atom is oxidized, another atom is reduced.
Electron transfer and redox reactions:
 Spectator ion: an ion that does not participate in a reaction and is not usually shown in an ionic
equation
 Oxidation-reduction reaction: also known as a redox reaction, it is a reaction in which electrons
are transferred from one atom to another
Oxidation and reduction:
 Oxidation: the loss of electrons from atoms of a substance: Na Na+ + e-
 Reduction: the gain of electrons by atoms of a substance: Cl 2 + 2e-  2Cl-
 Changes in oxidation number: complete chemical equation: 2K(s)+Cl 2(g)2KCl (s)
Oxidizing and reducing Agents:
 Oxidizing agent: the substance that oxidizes another substance by accepting its electrons
 Reducing agent: the substance that reduces another substance by losing electrons
 The chemistry of oxidation-reduction reactions is not limited to atoms of an element changing to
ions or the reverse. : N2(g) + 3Hs(g)2NH3(g)
Determining Oxidation Numbers: Rules for determining the oxidation numbers

Section 19.2: Balancing Redox Equations

Redox equations are balanced when the total increase in oxidation numbers equals the total decrease in
oxidation numbers of the atoms involved in the reaction.
 The oxidation-number method: the balancing technique based on these principles
 Net ionic equation: an ionic equation that includes only the particles that participate in the
reaction
Balancing net ionic redox equations:
Balancing redox equations using half-reactions:
 Species: any kind of chemical unit involved in a process
 Half-reaction: one of the two parts of a redox reaction—the oxidation half or the reduction half
 To balance equations for reactions in an acid solution, add enough hydrogen ions and water
molecules to balance the equation
 To balance equations for reactions in a basic solution, add enough hydroxide ions and water
molecules to balance the equation
 Gabrielle D. Luna
Chapter 20 Outline: Electrochemistry
Section 20.1: Voltaic Cells
In voltaic cells, oxidation takes place at the anods yielding electrons that flow to the cathode, where
reduction occurs.
 Redox in Electrochemistry:
 Oxidation: the loss of electrons from the atoms of a substance; increases an atom’s oxidation
number
 Reduction: the gain of electrons by the atoms of a substance; decreases the atom’s oxidation
number
 Salt bridge: a pathway to allow the passage of ions from one side to another.
Consists of a tube containing a conducting solution of a soluable salt
 Electrochemical cell: an electrochemical cell called a voltaic cell
 Voltaic cell: a type of electrochemical cell that converts chemical energy to electrical energy by a
spontaneous redox reaction
 Chemistry of voltaic cells:
 Half-cells: the separate oxidation and reduction reactions take place
 Anode: the electrode where oxidation takes place
 Cathode: the electrode where reduction takes place
 Calculating electrochemical cell potentials: reduction potential: the tendency of a substance to
gain electrons
The standard hydrogen electrode: consists of a small sheet of platinum immersed in a hydrochloric acid
solution that has a hydrogen-ion concentration of 1M
Formula for Cell Potential: E0cell = E0reduction – E0oxidation

Section 20.2: Batteries

Batteries are voltaic cells that use spontaneous reactions to provide energy for a variety of purposes.
 Dry Cells: battery: one or more voltaic cells in a single package that generates electric current
 Dry cell: an electrochemical cell in which the electrolyte is a moist paste
 Reversible reactions: a reaction that can take place in both the forward and reverse direction
 Primary batteries: produce electric energy by means of redox reactions that are not easily
reversed
 Secondary batteries: depend on reversible redox reactions, so they are rechargeable
 Fuel cell: a voltaic cell in which the oxidation fuel is used to produce electric energy
 Corrosion: the loss of metal with substances in the environment
 Galvanization: a process in which iron is coated with a layer of zinc by either dipping the object
into molten zinc or by electroplating the zinc onto it
Primary batteries can be used only once; secondary batteries can be recharged
When a battery is recharged, electric energy supplied to battery reverses the direction of the battery’s
spontaneous reaction
Fuel cells are batteries in which the substance oxidized is a fuel from an external source
Methods of preventing corrosion are painting, coating with another metal, or using a sacrificial anod
Section 20.3: Electrolysis
In electrolysis, a power source causes non spontaneous reactions to occur in electrochemical cells.
Reversing redox reactions:
 Electrolysis: the use of energy to bring about a chemical reaction
 Electrolytic cell: an electrolytic cell in which electrolysis occurs
 Reox reaction: the importance of electrolysis in the smelting and purification of metals
In an electrolytic cell, an outside source or power causes a non spontaneous redox reaction to occur
The electrolysis of molten sodium chloride yields sodium metal and chlorine gas. The electrolysis of
brine yields hydrogen gas, sodium hydroxide, and chlorine gas.
Metals such as copper are purifies in an electrolytic cell.
Electrolysis is used to electroplate objects and to produce pure aluminum from its ore.