Textbook Question
Which element is oxidized and which is reduced in each of the following reactions? (b)
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Ch.4 - Reactions in Aqueous Solution
McMurry8th EditionChemistryISBN: 9781292336145
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Table of contents
- Ch.1 - Chemical Tools: Experimentation & Measurement143
- Ch.2 - Atoms, Molecules & Ions134
- Ch.3 - Mass Relationships in Chemical Reactions149
- Ch.4 - Reactions in Aqueous Solution157
- Ch.5 - Periodicity & Electronic Structure of Atoms92
- Ch.6 - Ionic Compounds: Periodic Trends and Bonding Theory73
- Ch.7 - Covalent Bonding and Electron-Dot Structures47
- Ch.8 - Covalent Compounds: Bonding Theories and Molecular Structure51
- Ch.9 - Thermochemistry: Chemical Energy104
- Ch.10 - Gases: Their Properties & Behavior138
- Ch.11 - Liquids & Phase Changes43
- Ch.12 - Solids and Solid-State Materials56
- Ch.13 - Solutions & Their Properties98
- Ch.14 - Chemical Kinetics79
- Ch.15 - Chemical Equilibrium107
- Ch.16 - Aqueous Equilibria: Acids & Bases94
- Ch.17 - Applications of Aqueous Equilibria125
- Ch.18 - Thermodynamics: Entropy, Free Energy & Equilibrium66
- Ch.19 - Electrochemistry130
- Ch.20 - Nuclear Chemistry73
- Ch.21 - Transition Elements and Coordination Chemistry122
- Ch.22 - The Main Group Elements155
- Ch.23 - Organic and Biological Chemistry43
Chapter 4, Problem 117
Tell for each of the following substances whether the oxidation number increases or decreases in a redox reaction.(a) An oxidizing agent (b) A reducing agent (c) A substance undergoing oxidation (d) A substance undergoing reduction
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Identify the role of an oxidizing agent in a redox reaction: it gains electrons and causes another substance to be oxidized.
Determine the change in oxidation number for an oxidizing agent: it decreases as it gains electrons.
Identify the role of a reducing agent in a redox reaction: it loses electrons and causes another substance to be reduced.
Determine the change in oxidation number for a reducing agent: it increases as it loses electrons.
Understand the process of oxidation and reduction: a substance undergoing oxidation increases its oxidation number, while a substance undergoing reduction decreases its oxidation number.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Oxidation and Reduction
Oxidation and reduction are chemical processes that involve the transfer of electrons between substances. Oxidation refers to the loss of electrons, resulting in an increase in oxidation number, while reduction involves the gain of electrons, leading to a decrease in oxidation number. These processes are always coupled, meaning that when one substance is oxidized, another is reduced.
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Oxidation and Reduction Reactions
Oxidizing and Reducing Agents
An oxidizing agent is a substance that facilitates oxidation by accepting electrons from another substance, thereby causing the oxidation number of that substance to increase. Conversely, a reducing agent donates electrons to another substance, leading to a decrease in its oxidation number. Understanding the roles of these agents is crucial for identifying changes in oxidation states during redox reactions.
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Oxidation Numbers
Oxidation numbers are assigned to atoms in a compound to indicate their degree of oxidation or reduction. They help track electron transfer in redox reactions. An increase in oxidation number signifies oxidation, while a decrease indicates reduction. By analyzing the oxidation numbers of reactants and products, one can determine the changes occurring during the reaction.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
Which element is oxidized and which is reduced in each of the following reactions? (a)
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Textbook Question
Assign oxidation numbers to each element in the following ions. (d) MnO4 2-
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Textbook Question
Where in the periodic table are the best reducing agents found? The best oxidizing agents?
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Textbook Question
Nitrogen can have several different oxidation numbers ranging in value from -3 to +5. (a) Write the formula and give the name of the nitrogen oxide compound in which nitrogen has an oxidation number of +1, +2, +4, and +5.
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Textbook Question
Which element is oxidized and which is reduced in each of the following reactions? (b)
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