Redox Oxidation Reduction

Abstract

Oxidation and Reduction are two important chemical procedures. These two procedures are different from each other. However, in various chemical reactions, both these phenomenon occur simultaneously in the form of redox reactions. The Redox reaction can further be classified into several categories where each category has its own importance and application in chemistry, biochemistry and other commercial and industrial aspects.

Redox Oxidation Reduction

Introduction

A number of chemical procedures hold an important position in not just the discipline of chemistry however in various other disciplines and walk of lives. However, there are two of such basic phenomenon that have been used since centuries to explain, elaborate, identify and discuss various other complex and complicated chemical procedures in various subjects and disciplines. These two phenomenons include the Oxidation and Reduction chemical reactions. It will be fair to say that both these two reactions serves as basics procedures to many other more complex reactions which in turn are used and applied to various modern day applications. In fact, the Oxidation and reduction reactions are also responsible for the occurrence of Redox Reactions. Therefore, the importance of these procedures in several aspects cannot be denied. The aim of this paper is to define the redox reaction, discuss it in detail, discuss its types and explore the advantages and benefits of these processes in different practical applications.

Discussion

It is important to note that all the three reactions are easily distinguishable. Nevertheless, before discussing the details of Reodx Reactions, it is essential that the Oxidation and Reduction reactions be explained.

Oxidation and Reduction

Oxidation is a process in which there is experienced an increase in the oxidation number, where the process of reduction can be represented by a decrease in the oxidation number. Typically, this change in the oxidation number is interlinked with the loss or gain of electrons. However, there are some exceptions of the redox reactions including covalent bonding, which does not involve the transfer of electron (Bond, 1994). Depending upon the nature of chemical reaction, reduction and oxidation can include any of these scenarios for any given molecule, ion or atom:

Oxidation

The process or reaction that includes gain of oxygen OR loss of hydrogen or electrons OR increase in the oxidation state.

Reduction

This process can be defined as the loss of Oxygen OR gain of hydrogen or electrons OR decrease in the oxidation state

Example of Oxidation and Reduction Reactions

This is one of the simplest of chemical equation to discuss the Oxidation and Reduction reaction. Hence, the chemical reaction between fluorine and hydrogen results in the following outcomes.

H2 + F2 ? 2 HF

This overall chemical reaction can be divided in two half-reactions:

F2 + 2e- ? 2 F- (This is the reduction reaction)

H2 ? 2 H+ + 2 e- (This is the oxidation reaction)

The equation shows that the hydrogen and fluorine combine to yield Hydrogen Fluoride. During the reaction, two electrons are donated by hydrogen to Fluorine. Therefore, the overall reaction can be summed as Fluorine experiencing a gain of electrons thus resulting in an Oxidation Reaction and hydrogen losing two ...