April 28, 2024, 04:53:29 AM
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Topic: Oxidation and Reduction, help please!  (Read 4442 times)

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Offline MrKukk

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Oxidation and Reduction, help please!
« on: March 27, 2011, 07:19:01 AM »
Cu + NO3- => Cu2+ + NO2
What is the oxidation and reduction? And why?

Thanks.  :D

Offline Nobby

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Re: Oxidation and Reduction, help please!
« Reply #1 on: March 27, 2011, 07:48:55 AM »
You have to check the oxidation numbers of the Elements.

Oxidation means the number gets larger and electrons are submitted

Reduction: the number gets smaller and electrons will be consumed

Check what happens with copper and the nitrate

Offline opti384

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Re: Oxidation and Reduction, help please!
« Reply #2 on: March 27, 2011, 08:09:42 AM »
First of all, do you know the concepts of oxidation and reduction?

Offline MrKukk

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Re: Oxidation and Reduction, help please!
« Reply #3 on: March 27, 2011, 08:12:10 AM »
First of all, do you know the concepts of oxidation and reduction?
No sir.

Offline AMEDIO

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Re: Oxidation and Reduction, help please!
« Reply #4 on: March 27, 2011, 10:04:47 AM »
so 1st study it properly....

Offline opti384

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Re: Oxidation and Reduction, help please!
« Reply #5 on: March 28, 2011, 02:05:38 AM »
Okay. Oxidation is the process in which there is a loss of electrons. Reduction is the process in which there is a gain of electrons. You might want to look up "oxidation number."

Offline LukeeeeBennett

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Re: Oxidation and Reduction, help please!
« Reply #6 on: March 30, 2011, 04:45:05 PM »
The best tip I can give = OIL-RIG

O xidation
I s
L ost
-
R eduction
I s
G ained

AND,memorise this.


Group 1 metals - always +1   
Group 2 metals - always +2   
Oxygen - usually -2 except in peroxides and F2O
Hydrogen - usually +1 except in metal hydrides where it is -1
Fluorine - always -1   
Chlorine - usually -1 except in compounds with O or F

Offline DevaDevil

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Re: Oxidation and Reduction, help please!
« Reply #7 on: March 30, 2011, 04:53:09 PM »
I dislike tricks like this, as much as they may seem convenient.

I agree with opti384 in that if you grasp what an oxidation number means, you will never again mix up oxidations and reductions, because a reduction actually reduces the oxidation number of your reactant, just as the word says.
oxidation is then nothing more than the reverse of a reduction.

e.g.:

Fe3+ + e- --> Fe2+
is a reduction, because iron changes its oxidation state from +3 to +2 (reduced by 1)


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