What is balancing redox reactions?
Answers
Balancing the Redox Reaction is Just an Easy task. Redox Reactions may involves all those Ionic or non-Ionic Reactions in which Reduction and Oxidation occurs simultaneously.
Now, To balance such equations is not Possible by our old method such as Hit and Trial method and Partial Method.
Thus we have the two new methods called as the Oxidation number method and Ion Electron Method, which are used for balancing the Redox Reaction.
We need to follow some steps to balance the Redox Reaction by these two method. Both methods have different rules.
_______________________________________
Let us Balance one of the Equation by the concept of the Oxidation number method. Reaction is MnO₄ + I⁻ -------- MnO₂ + I₂.
∴ General Steps ⇒
Step 1. First Write the Given Redox Reaction.
MnO₄ + I⁻ -------- MnO₂ + I₂
Step2. Identify Oxidation and Reduction half Reaction.
MnO₄ ------ MnO₂ [Reduction]
I⁻ --------I₂ [Oxidation]
Step3. Balance the atoms undergoing change in the Oxidation number.
∴ MnO₄ -------- MnO₂ [Change of 4 units].
2I⁻ ---------- I₂ [Change of 2 units]
Step 4 .Multiply 1st equation by 1 and second equation by 2.
∴ MnO₄ -------- MnO₂ and 4I⁻ ---------- 2I₂
Step 5. Now, Add both the equations,
∴ 4I⁻ + MnO₄ ---------- I₂ + MnO₂
Step 6. Now, Balance the charges by adding water and Hydrogen ions.
∴ 4I⁻ + MnO₄ + 2H₂O ---------- I₂ + MnO₂ + 4OH⁻
This is the Required balanced Chemical Equation.
______________________________
Hope it helps.
Everything in life needs a balance, Just believing that even reactions needs balancing. An important part of chemistry is balancing redox reactions. The rusting of iron is a redox reaction. Many other redox reactions takes place around us.
The reduction is the gain of electrons whereas oxidation is the loss of electrons. The combination of reduction and oxidation reaction together refers to redox process.
There are two methods for balancing redox reactions:
1. Oxidation Number Method
2. Half-Reaction Method