Summary

Redox reactions involve a transfer of electrons from the reducing agent to the oxidising agent. The change in the oxidation state of an element in a compound or ion is used to identify the element that has been oxidised or reduced in a given reaction. Separate half-equations are written for the oxidation or reduction processes. These half-equations can then be combined to give an overall equation for any redox reaction.

Specification

Oxidation is the process of electron loss and oxidising agents are electron acceptors.

Reduction is the process of electron gain and reducing agents are electron donors.

The rules for assigning oxidation states.

Students should be able to:

• work out the oxidation state of an element in a compound or ion from the formula

• write half-equations identifying the oxidation and reduction processes in redox reactions

• combine half-equations to give an overall redox equation.

Notes