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Learn how chemists write half-reactions, representing reduction and oxidation processes involving electron transfer. Understand oxidation numbers, conservation laws, and redox reactions.
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Aim: How do chemists write “half- reactions”? Each atom has a nucleus, with an overall positive charge, surrounded by negatively charged electrons. Each electron in an atom has its own distinct amount of energy. An oxidation-reduction (redox) reaction involves the transfer of electrons (e-).
Aim: How do chemists write “half- reactions”? • Reduction is the gain of electrons. • A half-reaction can be written to represent reduction. • Oxidation is the loss of electrons. • A half-reaction can be written to represent oxidation. • Oxidation numbers (states) can be assigned to atoms and ions. Changes in oxidation numbers indicate that oxidation and reduction have occurred.
Aim: How do chemists write “half- reactions”? • In all chemical reactions there is a conservation of mass, energy, and charge. • In a redox reaction the number of electrons lost is equal to the number of electrons gained.
Aim: How do chemists write “half- reactions”? Essential Questions: • Why is it only electrons that are transferred in chemical reactions? • How does one assign oxidation numbers? • How do chemists determine which elements are oxidized and which ones are reduced in in “redox” reaction? • Why does reduction and oxidation always occur simultaneously?