Question

Did hydrogen peroxide oxidize acid and reduse the base

Answer 1

Hydrogen peroxide acts as both a reducing and an oxidizing agent.

When H2O2 serves as an oxidizing agent, the oxygen of hydrogen peroxide (that is present in -1 oxidation state) is reduced to H2O (-2 oxidation state).

H2O2 + 2H+ + 2e –> 2H2O

When H2O2 (-1 oxidation state)serves as a reducing agent, the oxygen of H2O2 is oxidized to O2 ( 0 oxidation state) and bubbles are noticed. As a reducing agent:

2 KMnO4 + 5 H2O2 + 3 H2SO4 --> K2SO4 + 5 O2 + 2 MnSO4 + 8 H2O

or

2 MnO4- + 5 H2O2 + 6 H+ --> 5 O2 + 2 Mn2- + 8H2O