Question

What is a redox reaction? Explain with one example.

Answer 1

Hint: As name suggests, redox reactions involve two reactions occurring simultaneously in which oxidation state of atoms may change. In this type of reaction, one species gains electrons and another donates.

Complete Step-by-Step answer:
The reactions that involve both oxidation and reduction reactions are known as redox reactions. If one species gets oxidized, other must have been reduced in order to complete the reaction. So, both reactions shown combined are called redox reactions.
Let’s see an example to understand more about redox reactions.

$$Z{n_{(s)}} + CuS{O_{4(aq)}} \to ZnS{O_{4(aq)}} + Cu$$
When metallic Zinc is allowed to react with aqueous solution of Copper Sulfate, Zinc sulfate and copper metal are obtained as a product. Let’s know the reason why this reaction happened.
i) Zn metal has higher oxidation potential than Copper, so it can oxidize itself and reduce copper from its solution to metallic state.
ii) Here Zn is oxidized from 0 to +2 oxidation state and Cu is reduced from +2 to 0 oxidation state.

Additional Information:
a) In the oxidation reaction, species lose the electrons.
b) In reduction reaction, species gain the electrons.
c) Reducing agents are the species that undergo oxidation and reduce other species.
d) Oxidizing agents are the species that undergo reduction and oxidize other species.
e) Oxidation potential expresses the ability of the compound to get oxidized and reducing potential expresses the ability of the compound to get reduced. Oxidation potential and reduction potential are opposite to each other.

Note: Anytime when you write a redox reaction, make sure that both oxidation and reduction half reactions involve the same number of electron transfers and if not then we need to make both reactions balanced by multiplying the half reactions.