R ED O X

STARTER: W hat happens w hen w e burn

M agnesium in air?
Try include the following
ideas in your answer!
Activation energy
Balanced equation
Movement of molecules
Rate of reaction
Gain of oxygen

Oxidation is the addition of oxygen to a substance and

reduction is the removal of oxygen from a substance.
Which substances are oxidized and reduced in this reaction?

oxygen removed
reduction
lead
oxide

+ carbon lead

carbon
monoxide

oxygen added
oxidation
Reduction and oxidation always take place together.
Why is this type of reaction called a redox reaction?

redox = reduction and oxidation

O xidation is gain ofoxygen

When magnesium reacts with oxygen in

the air:
2Mg + O2 2MgO
It is easy to see that the magnesium has

gained oxygen and an oxidation

reaction has occurred.
The magnesium has been OXIDISED.

Reduction is loss ofoxygen

When lead is extracted from lead (II) oxide

, carbon is used to remove the oxygen

2PbO + C

2Pb + CO2

The oxygen has been removed from the

lead (II) oxide

The lead (II) oxide has been REDUCED.

Lets look at this further

What actually happens when the

magnesium joins with oxygen?

The magnesium atom LOSES

ELECTRONS to become a magnesium ion

We can write what happens like this:
Mg

Mg2+ + 2e-

O xidation and electron loss

When magnesium burns in oxygen to form magnesium oxide,

what happens to magnesium and its electrons?

oxidized
(electrons lost)
Mg

Mg2+

O2-

The magnesium has been oxidized.

The Mg atom has lost 2 electrons to form a Mg2+ ion.

Oxidation is the loss of electrons.

O xidation is loss ofelectrons

So, when magnesium takes part in an

oxidation reaction it loses electrons.

When magnesium reacts with chlorine

it also loses electrons.

Mg + Cl2 MgCl2
This is an oxidation reaction too!

Reduction is gain ofelectrons

In the compound lead (II) oxide the

lead is an ion, Pb2+

In order to form lead the Pb2+ ion has to

GAIN 2 electrons
We can write this as follows:
Pb2+ + 2e- Pb

Redox and electrons

Magnesium burns in oxygen
to form magnesium oxide.
It is obvious that the
magnesium has been
oxidized, but what has
happened to the oxygen?
A redox reaction can also
be explained in terms of the
gain or loss of electrons.
What happens to the atoms and electrons in this reaction?
magnesium + oxygen magnesium oxide
2Mg (s)

+ O2 (g)

2MgO (s)

Reduction and electron gain

When magnesium burns in oxygen to form magnesium oxide,
what happens to oxygen and its electrons?

reduced
(electrons gained)
Mg

Mg2+

The oxygen has been reduced.

The O atom has gained 2 electrons to form a O2ion.

Reduction is the gain of electrons.

O2-

Redox
You may have noticed that when the

magnesium loses its electrons

they are gained by the oxygen
Oxidation (loss of electrons) and

reduction (gain of electrons)

happen simultaneously.
We call these REDOX reactions

Lets act it out!

Have a look at the elements/ions
Which need to lose electrons to gain

Noble gas configuration?

Which gain electrons to get to Noble

gas configuration?

U sing O ILRIG
What does OILRIG stand for in terms of redox reactions?

Oxidation
Is
Loss of electrons
Reduction
Is
Gain of electrons

W hat is a half-equation?
Redox reactions involve the transfer of electrons.
Equations written to show what happens to the electrons
during oxidation and reduction are called half-equations.
What are the half-equations for the oxidation and reduction
processes in this reaction?

magnesium + oxygen magnesium oxide

2Mg (s)

O2 (g)

2MgO (s)

oxidation: Mg Mg2+ + 2ereduction: O2 + 4e- 2O2-

G RO U P PRO BLEM :
In the reactions below, which element is

being oxidised and which reduced?

1.

2Ca + O2 2CaO
2. NaBr + Cl2 NaCl + Br2
3. 2Al + Fe2O3 2Fe + Al2O3
. Can you write half equations for the

reactions taking place?