BLOCK 10: Oxidation-Reduction Reactions

Oxidation-Reduction Reactions

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Introduction:   From old rusty cars to digesting a huge pizza oxidation and reduction are an important part of our lives. 

One interesting aspect of oxidation and reduction is that you can't have one without the other. In fact, the two terms are usually combined into one called REDOX. 

These chemical reactions always involve some sort of change, even though that change is not always visible. At the fundamental level, redox reaction come down simply to the exchange of electrons from one atom or ion to another.

As always, watch each of the following videos and write a summary of each one. It is also wise to make a list of important vocabulary terms as you watch each video.

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LESSON 1: What are Redox reactions

The following video is longer that most you watch, but covers many of the practical application of reduction and oxidation. As you watch, make a list of the individual areas in which redox occurs in our daily living.

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LESSON 2: Oxidation Numbers

Like most things in science they eventually end up with a quantitative aspect. Redox is no exception, and we invent a way to determine in what ratio the different atoms, molecules and ions react with each other.

The following video gives an excellent overview of the process of assigning and calculation oxidation numbers.

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LESSON 3: Balancing redox reactions

The following video shows how to use oxidation numbers to balance reduction-oxidation equations using oxidation numbers.

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LESSON 4: Vocabulary

After finishing the videos you should create a list of definitions of the following terms.

half-reaction
oxidation
oxidation number

oxidation-reduction reaction
oxidizing agent
reducing agent

reduction
rusting
balancing equations

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LESSON 5: Learning Check