The reaction in which oxidation and reduction both occur simultaneously are called

Redox reactions.

Oxygen ka addition ya oxygen ka removal

Oxidation and Reduction

In terms of Classical concept

Oxidation is defined as “addition of oxygen or any electronegative element and

removal of hydrogen or any electropositive element”.

Reduction is defined as” addition of hydrogen or any electropositive element and

removal of oxygen or any electronegative element”.

The substance that undergo oxidation itself and reduce other is called
reducing agent whereas the substance that undergo reduction itself and
oxidize other is called oxidizing agent.
For Ex :- CuO + H 2--> Cu + H2O
In reaction, Cu is undergoing reduction and oxidizing hydrogen. Therefore, Cu
is oxidizing agent and H is reducing agent.
 In terms of Electron transfer concept
Oxidation: It is defined as loss of electrons that is:
+
M - e---> M
Metal Metal Ion

Reduction: It is defined as gain of electrons that is given below.

N + e----> N-
Non-Metal Non-Metal Ion

Example of Redox reaction in terms of electron transfer:

Mg + H2--> MgH2

In this Magnesium is losing electrons, that is undergoing oxidation and hydrogen is

gaining electrons therefore, it is undergoing reduction. Mg is Reducing agent in it
and H is Oxidizing agent in it.

In terms of oxidation number

Oxidation number : It is defined as “residual charge that is present on atom when

the atom is in combined state with other atoms”.

Oxidation: It is defined as increase in oxidation number of an element.

Mg + H2--> Mg 2+ H 2

In this, Magnesium oxidation number is increased from 0 to +2. Therefore,

oxidation occurs.

Reduction: It is defined as decrease in oxidation number of an

element.
-
Fe3++ e ---> Fe 2+

In this oxidation number of iron is reduced. Therefore, reduction occurs.

 Redox reaction in terms of oxidation number
In this, Zinc is undergoing oxidation and act as reducing agent whereas Hydrogen
is undergoing reduction and act as an oxidizing agent.
0 + - 2+ - 0
Zn + H Cl -----> Zn Cl + H2
2-
Problem :- Find the oxidation number of N in NO3 ?
x 2-
Ans : N O3
X +(-2) * 3 = 0
X-6=0
X= +6
Balancing of Redox reactions

There are two ways of balancing Redox reactions:

Oxidation number method
Half equation method

Oxidation method: The steps to be followed-

1. Write the skeletal equation of reactants and products.

2. Indicate the oxidation number of all the elements involved in the reaction.
3. Calculate the increase or decrease in oxidation number per atom. Also,
identify the oxidizing and reducing agents.
4. Multiply the formula of oxidizing agent and reducing agent by suitable
integers, so as to equalize the total increase or decrease in oxidation number
as calculated in step 3.
5. Balance all atoms other than H and O.
6. Finally balance H and O atoms by adding water molecules using hit and trial
method.
7. In case of Ionic reactions:

For acidic medium

First balance O atoms by adding water molecules to the deficient side.

Balance H+ ions to the side deficient in H atoms.
 For Basic medium

First balance oxygen atom by adding water molecules to the deficient side.
Then to balance hydrogen, add water molecules equal to the number of
deficiency of H atoms.
Also add equal number of OHions to opposite side of the equation.

Example: Permagnate ion reacts with bromide ion in basic medium to give
manganese dioxide and Bromate ion .

Step 1 : The skeletal ionic equation is :

MnO4- (aq) +Br-(aq) ---> MnO2 +BrO3

Step 2: Assign oxidation numbers for Mn and Br

Step3: Calculate the increase and decrease in oxidation number and make the
change equal :

Step: 4 as the reaction occurs in basic medium, and the ionic charges are not equal
on both sides, add 2 OH- ions on the right to make it equal.

2 2 + 2OH-

Step 5: finally count the hydrogen atoms and add appropriate number of water
molecules on the left side to achieve balanced Redox reaction.

2 2 + 2OH-
 Half reaction method

1. Write the skeletal equation and indicate the oxidation number of all the
elements which occur in skeletal equation
2. Find out the species that are oxidized and reduced.
3. Split the skeletal equation into two half reactions: oxidation half reaction and
reduction half reaction
4. Balance the two-half equation separately by rules described below:
In each half reaction first balance the atoms of element that has undergone a
change in oxidation number.
Add electrons to whatever side is necessary to make up the difference in
oxidation number in each half reaction.
Balance the charge by adding H+ ions, if the reaction occurs in acidic medium
.For basic medium, add OH- ions if the reaction occurs in basic medium.
Balance oxygen atoms by adding required number of water molecules to the
side deficient in oxygen atoms
In the acidic medium, H atoms are balanced by adding H + ions to the side
deficient in H atoms.
However, in the basic medium H atoms are balanced by adding water
molecules equal to number to H atoms deficient.
Add equal number of OH- ions to opposite side of equation.
The two half reactions are then multiplied by suitable integers .so that the total
number of electrons gained in half reaction becomes equal to total number of
electrons lost in another half reaction.
Then the two half reactions are added up.
To verify the balancing, check whether the total charge on either is equal or
not.
Chalo example se smjhte hai :)

Let us consider the skeletal equation:

Step 1 : Separate the equation in to two halves:

2 3+
Oxidation half reaction: Fe --> Fe
2-
Reduction half reaction: Cr2O7 --> Cr3+

Step 2 : Balance the atoms other than hydrogen and oxygen in each half reaction
individually. Here the oxidation half reaction is already balanced with respect to Fe
3+
atoms .For the reduction half reaction, we multiply the Cr by 2 to balance Cr atoms.

Step 3: For reactions occurring in acidic medium, add water molecules to balance
oxygen atoms and hydrogen ions are balanced by adding H atoms. Thus, we get:
2- + - 3+
Cr2O7 + 14H + 6e ----> 2Cr + 7H2O

Step 4 : Add electrons to one side of the half reaction to balance the charges. if
needed make the number of electrons equal in two half reactions by multiplying one
or both half reaction by suitable coefficient.
The oxidation half reaction is thus written again to balance the charge .Now in the
reduction half reaction there are 12 positive charges on the left hand side and only
6 positive charge on right hand [Link], we add six electrons to left hand
side .
2- + -
Cr2O 7 + 14H + 6e ----> 2Cr3++ 7H2O

To equalize the number of electrons in both reactions, we multiply oxidation half

reaction by 6 and write as:

Step 5 : We add the two half reactions to achieve the overall reaction and cancel
the electrons on each [Link] give us net ionic equation:
Step 6 : Verify that the equation contains the same type and number of atoms and
the same charges on both sides of the equation. This last check reveals that the
equation is fully balanced with respect to number atoms and the charges.

Types of Redox reactions

1. Combination reaction: When two or more reactants react to form single product.
i.e a + b --> ab (in this single product is formed).
For the reaction to be Redox, both the elements should be in elemental form.
For example: All combustion reactions are Redox reactions.
C + O2--> CO2

2. Decomposition reaction : It is the type of reaction, in which a reactant breaks up

into its onstituents either by heating, passing current or in presence of light.

3. Displacement reaction: It is the reaction between element and a compound. In

This more reactive element displaces less reactive from its compound.
CuSO + Zn --> ZnSO + Cu
4 4
Displacement reactions fit into two categories :
Metal Displacement : A metal in a compound can be displaced by another metal in
the uncombined state .Metal displacement reactions find many applications in
metallurgy. Few examples are:
+2+4 -2 0 0+4-2 +2
CuSO + Zn --> ZnSO4 + Cu
4
Non-Metal Displacement : The non metal displacement involves mainly
displacement of hydrogen and a rarely occurring reaction involving oxygen
displacement .For example:
0 +1 -2 +1 -2+1 0
Na + H2O ---> NaOH + H2

Non metal Non-Metal Displacement : In this non metal gets displaced by non metal
according to reactivities .For example if we consider fluorine and chlorine so, it is
but obvious that fluorine can replace chlorine as it is more
0 reactive.
0 +1 -1 +1 -1
Cl + KBr2----> KCl 2 + Br 2
4. Disproportionate reaction : A reaction in which the same species is
simultaneously reduced and oxidized .One of the reacting species in this reaction
is always an element, that can exist in at least three oxidation states .The element
in the form of reacting species is in the intermediate oxidation state .In this higher
and lower both oxidation states of the element are formed.
2 2 2 2
For Example:- H O --> H O + H
In above example, the oxidation number of Oxygen which is -1 in peroxide
2
increases to zero in O and decreases to -2 in water.
[Link] reaction : Also known as a symproportionation reaction, is a
chemical reaction where two reactants with the same element but different
oxidation states form a product with an intermediate oxidation state. In a
comproportionation reaction, the element is both oxidized and reduced, making it
both an oxidizing agent and a reducing agent.

Applications of Redox Reaction

The battery used for generating DC current uses a redox reaction to produce
electrical energy.

Batteries or electrochemical cells used in our day-to-day life are also based on
redox reactions. For example, storage cells are used in vehicles to supply all the
electrical needs of the vehicles.
Redox Reaction in Combustion
Combustion is a type of oxidation-reduction reaction, and hence, it is a redox
reaction. An explosion is a fast form of combustion; hence, the explosion can be
treated as a redox reaction. Even the space shuttle uses redox reactions. The
combination of ammonium perchlorate and powdered aluminium inside the rocket
boosters gives rise to an oxidation-reduction reaction.
Applications in Photosynthesis
Green plants convert water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates, defined
as photosynthesis.

In the above reaction, we can see that carbon dioxide is reduced to carbohydrates
while the water gets oxidized to oxygen; hence, it is a redox reaction. The energy is
provided by the sunlight for this reaction. This reaction is a source of food for
animals and plants.
Real-life Uses of Redox Reaction

Production of some important chemicals is also based on electrolysis, which in

turn, is based on redox reactions. Many chemicals, like caustic soda, chlorine,
etc., are produced using redox reactions.
The industrial production of cleaning products involves the oxidation process.
Nitric acid, a component of many fertilisers, is produced from the oxidation
reaction of ammonia.
Electroplating is a process that uses redox reactions to apply a thin coating of
a material on an object. Electroplating is used in the production of gold-plated
jewellery.
Many metals are separated from their ores with the help of redox reactions.
One such example is the smelting of metal sulphides in the presence of
reducing agents.
Ques: In the reactions given below, identify the species undergoing
oxidation and reduction:
(1) H₂S (g) + Cl₂ (g) → 2 HCl (g) + S (s)
(ii) 3Fe₃O₄ (s) + 8 Al (s) → 9 Fe (s) + 4Al₂0₃ (s)
(i) 2 Na (s) + H₂(g) → 2 NaH (s)
Solution
(i) H₂ is oxidised because a more electronegative element, chlorine is added to
hydrogen (or a more electropositive element, hydrogen has been removed from S).
Chlorine is reduced due to addition of hydrogen to it.
(ii) Aluminium is oxidised because oxygen is added to it. Ferrous ferric oxide
(Fe₃O₄) is reduced because oxygen has been removed from it.
(iii) With the careful application of the concept of electronegativity only we may
infer that sodium is oxidised and hydrogen is reduced.
Reaction (iii) chosen here prompts us to think in terms of another way to define
redox reactions.

~KHTM HO GAYA MAUJ KARO~