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WORKSHEET
Chapter 12: Oxidation and Reduction

12.1 Oxidation and Reduction as Gain or Loss of Oxygen

1. In a chemical reaction, a substance is oxidised when it

 gains oxygen;
 loses hydrogen;
 loses electrons;
 increases in oxidation state.

2. In a chemical reaction, a substance is reduced when it

 loses oxygen;
 gains hydrogen;
 gains electrons;
 decreases in oxidation state.

3. Reduction is the reverse of oxidation.

Oxidation — Gain of Oxygen

1. Ca(s) + O2(g) → 2CaO(s)

Ca has gained oxygen to form CaO.
Ca is oxidised to CaO.

2. Mg(s) + O2(g) → 2MgO(s)

Mg has gained oxygen to form MgO.
Mg has been oxidised to MgO.

Reduction — Loss of Oxygen

1. Zn(s) + CuO(s) → ZnO(s) + Cu(s)

CuO has lost oxygen to form Cu.
CuO has been reduced to Cu.

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2. Fe2O3(s) + 3CO(g) → 2Fe(l) + 3CO2(g)
Fe2O3 has lost oxygen to form Fe.
Fe2O3 has been reduced to Fe.

Redox Reactions

1. A redox reaction is a reaction in which oxidation and reduction take place together.

2. Reaction of magnesium with steam:

Mg (s) + H2O (g) → MgO (s) + H2 (g)
Substance oxidised: Mg
Reason: Mg has gained oxygen to form MgO.
Substance reduced: H2O
Reason: H2O has lost oxygen to form H2.

3. Extraction of iron from iron ore:

Fe2O3(s) + 3CO(g) → 2Fe(l) + 3CO2(g)
Substance oxidised: CO
Reason: CO has gained oxygen to form CO2.
Substance reduced: Fe2O3
Reason: Fe2O3 has lost oxygen to form Fe.

12.2 Oxidation and Reduction as Gain or Loss of Hydrogen

Oxidation — Loss of Hydrogen

1. H2S (g) + Cl2(g) → 2HCl(g) + S(s)

H2S has lost hydrogen to form S.
H2S has been oxidised to S.

2. 2NH3(g) + 3CuO(s) → N2(g) + 3Cu(s) + 3H2O(g)

NH3 has lost hydrogen to form N2.
NH3 has been oxidised to N2.

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Reduction — Gain of Hydrogen

1. H2(g) + Cl2(g) → 2HCl(g)

Cl2 has gained hydrogen to form HCl.
Cl2 has been reduced to HCl.

2. N2(g) + 3H2(g) → 2NH3(g)

N2 has gained hydrogen to form NH3.
N2 has been reduced to NH3.

12.3 Oxidation and Reduction as Gain or Loss of Electrons

Oxidation — Loss of Electrons

1. Mg(s) → Mg2+(s) + 2e–

Mg has lost two electrons to form Mg2+.
Mg has been oxidised to Mg2+.

2. Zn(s) → Zn2+(aq) + 2e–

Zn has lost two electrons to form Zn2+.
Zn has been oxidised to Zn2+.

3. Fe2+(aq) → Fe3+(aq) + e–
Fe2+ has lost one electron to form Fe3+.
Fe2+ has been oxidised to Fe3+.

Reduction — Gain of Electrons

1. Cu2+(aq) + 2e– → Cu(s)
Cu2+ has gained two electrons to form Cu.
Cu2+ has been reduced to Cu.

2. Fe3+(aq) + e– → Fe2+(aq)
Fe3+ has gained one electron to form Fe2+.
Fe3+ has been reduced to Fe2+.

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12.4 Oxidation and Reduction in Terms of Changes in Oxidation State

1. What is oxidation state?

Oxidation state is the charge of an element would have if it existed as an ion in a
compound. This is true even if the atom is covalently bonded.

Determining and Assigning Oxidation States

1. Rules for working out the oxidation state:

Oxidation
Rule Example
state

1. The oxidation state of a free

Cu, Na, S, O2, Cl2 0
element is zero.

2. The oxidation state of a simple Na+ +1

ion is the same as the charge on Mg2+ +2
the ion. Fe2+ +2
Fe3+ +3
Cu2+ +2
Cl– –1
Br– –1

3. Some elements have a fixed  Group I elements (e.g. Na,

oxidation state in their K) in compounds +1
compounds.  Group II elements (e.g. Mg,
Ca) in compounds +2
 Hydrogen in most
compounds +1

 Oxygen in most compounds –1

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 Rule Example Oxidation state

4. The oxidation states of all the MgCl2 Oxidation state of Mg = +2

atoms in a compound add up to Oxidation state of Cl = –1
zero.
Sum of oxidation states
= +2 + 2(–1)
=0

5. The oxidation states of all the What is the (Oxidation state of S) + 4(–2)
atoms in a polyatomic ion add up oxidation state = –2

to the charge of the ion. of S in SO42–? Oxidation state of S

= –2 + 8
= +6

2. Give the oxidation state of the underlined element in the following formulae.
(a) CaCl2: +2 (b) H2S: –2

(c) Fe2O3: +3 (d) NO3–: +5

Oxidation — Increase in Oxidation State

1. Zn(s) + Cu2+(aq) → Zn2+(aq) + Cu(s)

0 +2
The oxidation state of zinc has increased from 0 to +2.
Zn has been oxidised to Zn2+.

2. Cl2(g) + 2Br–(aq) → 2Cl–(aq) + Br2(g)

0 –1 –1 0
The oxidation state of bromine has increased from –1 to 0.
Br– has been oxidised to Br2.

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Reduction — Decrease in Oxidation State

1. Cl2(g) + 2Br–(aq) → 2Cl–(aq) + Br2(g)

The oxidation state of chlorine has decreased from 0 to –1.
Cl2 has been reduced to Cl–.

2. In the following reaction, identify the substance that has been oxidised or reduced.
Explain your answer.
Cu(s) + 2AgNO3(aq) → Cu(NO3)2(aq) + 2Ag(s)

Cu has been oxidised.

The oxidation state of copper has increased from 0 to +2.
Ag+ has been reduced.

The oxidation state of silver has decreased from +1 to 0.

OR
Cu has lost two electrons to form Cu2+.
Ag+ has gained one electron to form Ag.

3. State which substance has been oxidised or reduced. Give reasons for your answer.
(a) Mg + H2O → MgO + H2
Mg has been oxidised. Mg has gained oxygen to form MgO.
H2O has been reduced. H2O has lost oxygen to form H2.

(b) CuO + H2 → Cu + H2O

H2 has been oxidised. H2 has gained oxygen to form H2O.
CuO has been reduced. CuO has lost oxygen to form Cu.

(c) 2HI + Cl2 → 2HCl + I2

HI has been oxidised. HI has lost hydrogen to form I2.

Cl2 has been reduced. Cl2 has gained hydrogen to form HCl.

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 (d) H2S + Cl2 → 2HCl + S

H2S has been oxidised. H2S has lost hydrogen to form S.

Cl2 has been reduced. Cl2 has gained hydrogen to form HCl.

(e) 2Ag+ + Pb → 2Ag + Pb2+

Pb has been oxidised. Pb has lost two electrons to form Pb2+.

Ag+ has been reduced. Ag+ has gained an electron to form Ag.

(f) 2FeCl2 + Cl2 → 2FeCl3

Fe2+ has been oxidised. The oxidation state of iron has increased from +2 to +3.
Cl2 has been reduced. The oxidation state of chlorine has decreased from 0 to -1.

12.5 Oxidising and Reducing Agents

1.

Oxidising agent Reducing agent

Causes another substance to be oxidised by Causes another substance to be reduced by

 giving oxygen;  removing oxygen;
 removing hydrogen;  giving hydrogen;
 accepting electrons.  donating electrons.

Reduced at the end of the reaction Oxidised at the end of the reaction

2. Some examples of oxidising agents and reducing agents:

Oxidising agent Reducing Agent

Chlorine (Cl2) Carbon (C)

Bromine (Br2) Carbon monoxide (CO)

Concentrated sulfuric acid (H2SO4) Hydrogen (H2)

Concentrated nitric acid (HNO3) Hydrogen sulfide (H2S)

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 Oxygen (O2) Metals

Oxidising agent Reducing Agent

Potassium manganate(VII) (KMnO4) Potassium iodide (KI)

Potassium dichromate(VI) (K2Cr2O7) Sulfur dioxide (SO2)

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) Ammonia (NH3)

Identifying Oxidising and Reducing Agents

1. Identify the oxidising agent and reducing agent in the following reaction and state the
substance oxidised and reduced respectively.
H2S(g) + Cl2(g) → 2HCl(g) + S(s)

Oxidising agent: Cl2 (removes hydrogen from H2S)

Substance oxidised: H2S (loses hydrogen to form S)
Reducing agent: H2S (gives hydrogen to Cl2)
Substance reduced: Cl2 (gains hydrogen to form HCl)

2. Identify the oxidising agent and reducing agent in the following reaction and state the
substance oxidised and reduced respectively.
Fe2O3 (s) + 3CO (g) → 2Fe(l) + 3CO2 (g)

Oxidising agent: Fe2O3 (gives oxygen to CO)

Substance oxidised: CO (gains oxygen to form CO2)
Reducing agent: CO (removes oxygen to from Fe2O3)
Substance reduced: Fe2O3 (loses oxygen to form Fe)

Tests for Oxidising Agents

1.

Observation for
Test Explanation
positive test

Add aqueous potassium A brown solution is formed. Iodide ions are oxidised to
iodide to the unknown iodine by the oxidising agent.
solution. Equation:

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 2I− (aq) → I2 (aq) + 2e−

2. Potassium iodide is a powerful reducing agent (electron donor). The colourless iodide ion
is oxidised by losing its electron to form the iodine molecule.

Tests for Reducing Agents

1.

Observation for
Test Explanation
positive test

For gases: Place a piece Acidified potassium • MnO4– is reduced to Mn2+.

of filter paper soaked manganate(VII) paper turns • The oxidation state of Mn
with acidified potassium from purple to colourless. decreases from +6 to +2.
manganate(VII), KMnO4,
at the mouth of the test
tube

For solutions: Add The colour of acidified

acidified potassium potassium manganate(VII)
manganate(VII), KMnO4 solution turns from purple to
to the unknown solution. colourless.

2. Acidified potassium manganate(VII) is a powerful oxidising agent (electron acceptor).

The purple manganate(VII) ion becomes reduced by gaining five electrons to form the
colourless manganate(II) ion.

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