Redox Basics
A helpful mnemonic phrase that stands for oxidation is loss, reduction is gain.
What is OIL RIG?
The oxidation state of an element in its standard, uncombined form.
What is 0?
The type of half-reaction in which electrons appear as reactants.
What is a reduction half-reaction?
The natural process by which metals deteriorate and revert to their oxidized form.
What is corrosion?
The type of electrolyte a dry cell battery does not contain.
What is a liquid electrolyte?
The process involving the loss of electrons; the other involving the gain of electrons.
What are oxidation and reduction?
The typical oxidation number of oxygen in compounds (except peroxides).
What is -2?
The step in balancing redox reactions where you balance all atoms except H and O.
What is balancing the other elements first (Step 2)?
The reason aluminum resists corrosion better than iron.
What is forming a protective oxide coating?
The function of sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) in a lead storage battery.
What is providing SO₄²⁻ ions as an electrolyte?
The type of reaction that always occurs when a metal reacts with a nonmetal.
What is a redox reaction?
The oxidation number of hydrogen in covalent compounds.
What is +1?
The half-reaction showing the oxidation of tin(II) to tin(IV).
What is Sn²⁺ → Sn⁴⁺ + 2e⁻?
The method of using a more reactive metal to protect another from oxidation.
What is cathodic protection?
The two types of electrodes and what occurs at each in a galvanic cell.
What are the anode (oxidation) and cathode (reduction)?
The substance that donates electrons in a redox reaction.
What is the reducing agent?
How oxidation numbers are assigned in binary compounds based on electronegativity.
What is the more electronegative element takes the anion-like oxidation state?
The method of making the number of electrons the same in both half-reactions.
What is multiplying the half-reactions to equalize electrons?
The key difference between electrolysis and a galvanic cell.
What is electrolysis uses electricity while a galvanic cell produces it?
The reaction pathway in a lead battery: Pb is oxidized, PbO₂ is reduced, both become this.
What is PbSO₄?
The process that occurs when a substance’s oxidation state increases.
What is oxidation?
The required sum of oxidation numbers in a neutral compound.
What is 0?
The balanced overall redox reaction between Ce⁴⁺ and Sn²⁺.
What is 2Ce⁴⁺ + Sn²⁺ → 2Ce³⁺ + Sn⁴⁺?
The gases released and their electrodes during the electrolysis of water.
What are oxygen at the anode and hydrogen at the cathode?
The formula used to calculate the total voltage of an electrochemical cell.
What is E°cell = E°cathode - E°anode?