April 20, 2024, 10:28:16 AM
Forum Rules: Read This Before Posting


Topic: How to simplify a chemical equation?  (Read 1334 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline anonymousstudent000000

  • Very New Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1
  • Mole Snacks: +0/-0
How to simplify a chemical equation?
« on: April 20, 2022, 06:17:33 PM »
I attached the image with the equation, I don't know why it just separates CuSO4 and put Cu²+   +  SO²-.  Why does it happen? It just ignored the oxidation number of sulfur. Can anyone help me please?

Offline sjb

  • Global Moderator
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 3652
  • Mole Snacks: +222/-42
  • Gender: Male
Re: How to simplify a chemical equation?
« Reply #1 on: April 21, 2022, 01:59:19 AM »
(Image is Zn + CuSO4  :rarrow: Cu + ZnSO4, then Zn0 + Cu2+ + SO42-  :rarrow: Cu0 + Zn2+ SO42- in case it breaks, and for search assistance)

You can think of the sulfate ion perhaps as a "super-atom" that doesn't get changed in this reaction, or if you prefer you can split SO42- further up into S6+ + 4O2-. Note that sulfur doesn't always have a -2 oxidation state (and is very unlikely to exist by itself as a 6+ ion.


Offline Borek

  • Mr. pH
  • Administrator
  • Deity Member
  • *
  • Posts: 27652
  • Mole Snacks: +1800/-410
  • Gender: Male
  • I am known to be occasionally wrong.
    • Chembuddy
Re: How to simplify a chemical equation?
« Reply #2 on: April 21, 2022, 02:50:50 AM »
I don't know why it just separates CuSO4 and put Cu²+   +  SO²-

Have you heard about dissociation of salts?
ChemBuddy chemical calculators - stoichiometry, pH, concentration, buffer preparation, titrations.info

Sponsored Links