Question

Give an example of a simple oxidation-reduction equation. Identify the species being oxidized and the species being reduced. Identify the oxidizing agent and the reducing agent in your example.

Short answer

In the redox reaction \(H_2 + F_2 \rightarrow 2HF\), Hydrogen (\(H_2\)) is being oxidized (oxidation state changes from 0 to +1) and is the reducing agent. Fluorine (\(F_2\)) is being reduced (oxidation state changes from 0 to -1) and is the oxidizing agent.

Step-by-step solution

Example of a simple redox equation

A simple redox equation involves the reaction between Hydrogen (H) and Fluorine (F) to form Hydrogen Fluoride (HF). The balanced chemical equation is: \[ H_2 + F_2 \rightarrow 2HF \]

Identify the species being oxidized and the species being reduced

To identify the species being oxidized and reduced, we need to determine the change in oxidation states of the elements involved. Oxidation states for the elements: H (Hydrogen) - it is usually +1, but in its elemental form (H_2) it is 0 F (Fluorine) - it is usually -1, but in its elemental form (F_2) it is 0 In the product, Hydrogen Fluoride (HF), Hydrogen has an oxidation state of +1 and Fluorine has an oxidation state of -1. Comparing the initial and final oxidation states: - Hydrogen is oxidized (its oxidation state increases from 0 to +1) - Fluorine is reduced (its oxidation state decreases from 0 to -1)

Identify the oxidizing agent and the reducing agent

To identify the oxidizing and reducing agents, we need to determine which species cause the other species to be oxidized or reduced. - F_2 (Fluorine) is the oxidizing agent because it induces the oxidation of H_2 by accepting electrons. - H_2 (Hydrogen) is the reducing agent because it induces the reduction of F_2 by donating electrons. In summary, in the reaction: \[ H_2 + F_2 \rightarrow 2HF \] Hydrogen (\(H_2\)) is being oxidized and is the reducing agent, while Fluorine (\(F_2\)) is being reduced and is the oxidizing agent.

Key concepts

Oxidation

In the world of chemistry, oxidation refers to a process where a substance loses electrons. You can think of electrons as tiny particles that some elements "give away" during reactions. When an atom loses these electrons, its oxidation state increases. In the simple reaction involving hydrogen (\(H_2\)) and fluorine (\(F_2\)), hydrogen atoms undergo oxidation. Initially, hydrogen is in its elemental form with an oxidation state of zero. After reacting with fluorine, it forms hydrogen fluoride (HF) with an oxidation state of +1. This increase in oxidation state indicates that hydrogen has lost electrons to fluorine.
Common clues of oxidation include:

• Increase in oxidation number
• Loss of electrons
• Gain of oxygen or loss of hydrogen in certain reactions

Reduction

Reduction is the other half of a redox reaction, where a substance gains electrons. This process decreases the oxidation state of the atom or ion. In our reaction between hydrogen and fluorine, it is the fluorine atoms that are being reduced. Fluorine starts with an oxidation state of zero in its elemental form (\(F_2\))
As it forms hydrogen fluoride (HF), its oxidation state decreases to -1. This decrease shows that fluorine has gained electrons from hydrogen.
Key signs of reduction:

• Decrease in oxidation number
• Gain of electrons
• Gain of hydrogen or loss of oxygen in some reactions

Oxidizing Agent

An oxidizing agent is a chemical species that causes another substance to be oxidized. It achieves this by accepting electrons from the substance being oxidized. In simpler terms, an oxidizing agent "oxidizes" something else while getting reduced itself.
In the reaction \(H_2 + F_2 \rightarrow 2HF\), fluorine (\(F_2\)) acts as the oxidizing agent. It facilitates the oxidation of hydrogen by taking in the electrons that hydrogen loses. The ability of fluorine to accept electrons makes it a strong oxidizing agent.
Characteristics of an oxidizing agent:

• It gets reduced (its oxidation state decreases)
• Accepts electrons
• Tends to be a species with high electronegativity

Reducing Agent

Reducing agents play a critical role in redox reactions by donating electrons to another substance, thereby reducing it. When a substance acts as a reducing agent, it itself undergoes oxidation. Think of it like a person donating money, who subsequently has less money, but the recipient gains.
In our example, hydrogen (\(H_2\)) acts as the reducing agent. It donates electrons to fluorine, enabling the reduction of fluorine into HF. As hydrogen loses electrons, it becomes oxidized.
Attributes of a reducing agent:

• It gets oxidized (its oxidation state increases)
• Donates electrons
• Often is a substance with low electronegativity, readily giving away electrons