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Karteikarten in diesem Deck (41)
  • What is oxidation in a chemical reaction?

    Oxidation is the loss of an electron by a reactant.

    redox definition
  • What is reduction in a chemical reaction?

    Reduction is the gain of an electron by a reactant.

    redox definition
  • What is a redox reaction?

    A redox reaction is any chemical reaction that transfers electrons from one atom to another.

    redox definition
  • What is an oxidizing agent?

    An oxidizing agent is the reactant that gains one or more electrons (is reduced).

    agents redox
  • What is a reducing agent?

    A reducing agent is the reactant that gives up one or more electrons (is oxidized).

    agents redox
  • In ionic compounds forming in a reaction, which direction do electrons move?

    Electrons are transferred completely from the metal to the nonmetal.

    ionic bonding
  • In reactions that form ionic compounds, which species is always the reducing agent and which the oxidizing agent?

    • Reducing agent: the metal
    • Oxidizing agent: the nonmetal
    ionic agents
  • How are oxidizing and reducing agents identified in molecular (covalent) compounds?

    Compare electronegativities; the more electronegative atom undergoes partial gain (oxidizing agent) and the less electronegative undergoes partial loss (reducing agent).

    covalent electronegativity
  • Using oxygen and hydrogen as an example, which is the oxidizing agent?

    Oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen, so oxygen is the oxidizing agent.

    example electronegativity
  • What does a positive or negative oxidation number indicate?

    • Positive oxidation number: species is oxidized
    • Negative oxidation number: species is reduced
    oxidation-number definition
  • What must be true about total electrons lost and gained in a redox reaction?

    The total number of electrons gained in reduction must equal the total number of electrons lost in oxidation.

    conservation redox
  • What reaction types are given as examples of redox reactions?

    • Single-replacement
    • Combustion
    • Many combination and decomposition reactions
    examples redox
  • Which reaction types are given as examples of non-redox reactions?

    • Neutralization
    • Precipitation (types of double-replacement reactions)
    examples nonredox
  • What is a half-reaction?

    A half-reaction represents only the oxidation or only the reduction component of a redox reaction.

    half-reaction definition
  • Where does oxidation occur and where does reduction occur in terms of electrodes?

    • Oxidation: at the anode
    • Reduction: at the cathode
    electrodes redox
  • What is a single-replacement reaction in the context of redox?

    A single-replacement reaction is one atom replacing another in the reactants and is an example of a redox reaction.

    single-replacement redox
  • How does the activity series relate to single-replacement reactions?

    Any metal above another in the activity series is more reactive and more readily oxidized and will replace a less-reactive metal.

    activity-series reactivity
  • How were the terms oxidized and reduced originally defined historically?

    Originally, oxidized meant gaining an oxygen atom and reduced meant losing an oxygen atom.

    history terminology
  • What is a combination reaction and what is a decomposition reaction?

    • Combination: two or more substances react to form a single new substance
    • Decomposition: a single compound breaks down into two or more products
    reaction-types definitions
  • What is the purpose of the half-reaction method in balancing redox reactions?

    To write and balance the oxidation and reduction half-reactions separately before combining them into a balanced redox equation.

    redox balancing
  • When balancing redox reactions in acidic solution which species are assumed present to balance H and O?

    • H2O
    • H+
    redox acidic
  • When balancing redox reactions in basic solution which species are assumed present to balance H and O?

    • H2O
    • OH-
    redox basic
  • How is electric potential defined and what are its units?

    Electric potential is electric potential energy divided by charge; units are volts (joules per coulomb).

    electricity potential
  • What is an electrochemical process?

    Any conversion between chemical potential energy and electrical energy.

    electrochemistry definition
  • What happens to potential energy when electrons transfer between atoms in a redox reaction?

    The potential energy is converted into electrical energy.

    redox energy
  • What is an electrochemical cell?

    Any device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy or vice versa; redox reactions occur in all electrochemical cells.

    electrochemistry cell
  • What is a voltaic cell?

    An electrochemical cell that converts chemical energy into electrical energy.

    voltaic cell
  • What is a half-cell in a voltaic cell?

    One part of a voltaic cell in which either oxidation or reduction takes place.

    halfcell voltaic
  • How are the two half-cells in a voltaic cell connected and why?

    They are connected by a bridge that allows movement of ions between the two half-cells.

    voltaic structure
  • What does the reduction potential measure?

    A half-reaction's tendency to occur as a reduction (gain electrons).

    potential reduction
  • What does the oxidation potential measure?

    A half-reaction's tendency to occur as an oxidation (loss of electrons).

    potential oxidation
  • Why do scientists use the standard reduction potential?

    Because absolute potentials cannot be measured; the standard reduction potential is measured relative to a standard hydrogen electrode.

    standard potential
  • What are the conditions for the standard cell potential measurement?

    Ion concentrations 1 M, temperature 25℃, and pressure 100 kPa.

    standard ecell
  • What is an electrolytic cell and how does its cell potential compare to a voltaic cell?

    An electrolytic cell causes chemical change via applied electrical energy; its cell potential is negative, while a voltaic cell's potential is positive.

    electrolytic voltaic
  • What energy conversions occur in voltaic and electrolytic cells?

    Voltaic cell: chemical → electrical. Electrolytic cell: electrical → chemical.

    energy cells
  • What is electrolysis?

    A process by which electrical energy is used to bring about a chemical change.

    electrolysis definition
  • What components make up an electrolytic cell?

    • An electrolyte
    • Two electrodes (Contained in a single container)
    electrolytic components
  • In a voltaic cell which direction do electrons flow through the external circuit?

    Electrons flow from the anode to the cathode through an external circuit.

    voltaic electrons
  • What is another name for a voltaic cell?

    Battery

    vocabulary battery
  • What is a fuel cell?

    A type of voltaic cell in which a fuel undergoes oxidation and electrical energy can be continuously obtained.

    fuelcell voltaic
  • What is electroplating?

    The deposition of a thin layer of metal on an object in an electrolytic cell.

    electroplating electrolytic
Lernnotizen

Overview

  • Focus: oxidation–reduction (redox) reactions, how to identify and balance them, and their role in electrochemical cells.
  • Key ideas: electron transfer, oxidation numbers, half-reactions, voltaic vs electrolytic cells, and electroplating.

Core definitions

  • Oxidation: loss of electrons by a species.
  • Reduction: gain of electrons by a species.
  • Redox reaction: any reaction that transfers electrons between species.
  • Reducing agent: species that donates electrons (is oxidized).
  • Oxidizing agent: species that accepts electrons (is reduced).

Electron transfer: ionic vs covalent

  • Ionic compounds: complete electron transfer from metal to nonmetal; metal becomes oxidized, nonmetal reduced.
  • Molecular (covalent) compounds: electrons are shared; for polar bonds the more electronegative atom pulls electrons closer and is partially reduced (acts as oxidizing agent).
  • Example: oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen, so O pulls electron density and acts as the oxidizing agent in O–H bonds.

Oxidation numbers (oxidation states)

  • An oxidation number is an assigned charge that helps track electron transfer.
  • Positive oxidation numbers indicate loss of electron density (oxidation); negative indicate gain (reduction).
  • Electrons are conserved: total electrons lost = total electrons gained in a redox process.
  • The oxidation-number-change method balances redox equations by equating total increase and decrease of oxidation numbers.

Types of reactions: redox vs non-redox

  • Common redox reactions: single-replacement, combustion, many combination and decomposition reactions.
  • Non-redox examples: neutralization and precipitation (double-replacement) where no net electron transfer occurs.

Half-reactions and electrodes

  • A half-reaction shows only the oxidation or only the reduction half of a redox process.
  • Anode: site of oxidation; Cathode: site of reduction.
  • In a voltaic (galvanic) cell electrons flow from anode → cathode through the external circuit.
  • Example (metal displacement):
  • Oxidation half: \(\mathrm{Zn\rightarrow Zn^{2+} + 2\,e^{-}}\)
  • Reduction half: \(\mathrm{Cu^{2+} + 2\,e^{-}\rightarrow Cu}\)
  • Combined: \(\mathrm{Zn + Cu^{2+} \rightarrow Zn^{2+} + Cu}\)

Balancing redox equations: half-reaction method (concise steps)

  1. Split overall reaction into oxidation and reduction half-reactions.
  2. Balance all atoms except H and O.
  3. Balance O by adding \(\mathrm{H_2O}\), balance H by adding \(\mathrm{H^{+}}\) (acidic) or \(\mathrm{H_2O}\) and \(\mathrm{OH^{-}}\) (basic).
  4. Balance charge by adding electrons \(\mathrm{e^{-}}\) to the appropriate side.
  5. Multiply halves to equalize electron transfer, then add and cancel species to get the net equation.

  6. Use the half-reaction method for reactions in acidic or basic solutions (use \(\mathrm{H^{+}}\)/\(\mathrm{H_2O}\) or \(\mathrm{OH^{-}}\)/\(\mathrm{H_2O}\) respectively).

Activity series and single-replacement reactions

  • The activity series ranks metals by ease of oxidation (higher = more easily oxidized).
  • In single-replacement reactions, a metal higher in the series will replace a lower one in solution (more reactive metal displaces less reactive metal).

Electrochemistry: potentials and cells

  • Electric potential (E) is electric potential energy per charge; units: volts (J/C).
  • Electrochemical process: conversion between chemical potential energy and electrical energy.
  • Electrochemical cell: device converting chemical ↔ electrical energy; redox reactions occur in all cells.

Voltaic (galvanic) cell

  • Converts chemical energy into electrical energy; reaction is spontaneous.
  • Consists of two half-cells (one oxidation, one reduction) connected by an external circuit and a salt bridge (or porous separator) for ion flow.
  • Electrons travel through the external circuit; ions move through the salt bridge to maintain charge balance.
  • Electrode sign in a typical voltaic cell: anode is negative, cathode is positive.

Standard reduction potentials and cell potential

  • Standard reduction potential (\(E^ frac{\circ}{\,\!\!}\)) measures tendency of a half-reaction to be reduced relative to the standard hydrogen electrode.
  • Standard cell potential (\(E_{cell}^\circ\)) is measured when all ion concentrations are \(1\,\)M, temperature is \(25^\circ\mathrm{C}\), and pressure is \(100\,\)kPa.
  • Relation between half-cell potentials:

\(\(E_{cell}^\circ = E_{cathode}^\circ - E_{anode}^\circ\)\)

  • If \(E_{cell}^\circ > 0\), the cell reaction is spontaneous (voltaic); if \(E_{cell}^\circ < 0\), non-spontaneous (requires external energy).

Electrolytic cell

  • Uses electrical energy to drive a non-spontaneous chemical change; cell potential is negative for the spontaneous direction.
  • Common uses: electrolysis, metal refining, and electroplating (depositing a thin metal layer on an object).
  • In an electrolytic cell, electrode polarities are controlled by the external power source (anode positive, cathode negative for the external circuit).

Practical devices

  • Battery (voltaic cell): portable source converting stored chemical energy to electricity.
  • Fuel cell: a voltaic cell continuously fed with fuel that is oxidized to produce electrical energy.
  • Electroplating: uses an electrolytic cell to coat an object with a metal layer.

Quick reference & tips

  • Oxidation = OIL (Oxidation Is Loss of electrons); Reduction = RIG (Reduction Is Gain of electrons).
  • Remember: oxidizing agent is reduced; reducing agent is oxidized.
  • Use half-reactions to track electrons explicitly; always ensure electrons cancel when combining halves.
  • Standard conditions: \(1\,\)M, \(25^\circ\mathrm{C}\), \(100\,\)kPa when using standard potentials.

Example summary (Zn/Cu voltaic cell)

  • Oxidation: \(\mathrm{Zn\rightarrow Zn^{2+} + 2\,e^{-}}\) (anode)
  • Reduction: \(\mathrm{Cu^{2+} + 2\,e^{-}\rightarrow Cu}\) (cathode)
  • Net reaction: \(\mathrm{Zn + Cu^{2+} \rightarrow Zn^{2+} + Cu}\)
  • Cell potential: \(E_{cell}^\circ = E_{Cu^{2+}/Cu}^\circ - E_{Zn^{2+}/Zn}^\circ\) (positive for spontaneous voltaic cell)