Oxidation Number is the charge that the atom of the element would have if complete

transfer of electron takes place.

Oxidation number

(i) Free elements have an oxidation number of zero.

Na = 0
Mg = 0
C=0
H2 = 0
Br2 = 0

(ii) Oxidation number of a simple monoatomic ions is the same as its charge.

Na+ ion = +1
Mg2+ ion = +2
O2- ion = -2
Cl- ion = -1
H+ ion = +1

(iii) Sum of the oxidation number for a neutral compound is zero.

CaH2
(+2) + 2(-1)
=0
Sum of oxidation number is 0

Al2O3
2(+3) + 3(-2)
=0
Sum of oxidation number is 0

Iodine, Bromine, Chlorine, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Fluorine

> Electronegativity increase

Cl2O
2(+1) + (-2)
=0
Sum of oxidation number is 0.

(Chlorine, bromine and iodine usually have the oxidation number of -1 except when combine
with a more electronegative element.)

HClO
(+1) + (+1) + (-2)
=0
Sum of oxidation number is 0.
(Chlorine, bromine and iodine usually have the oxidation number of -1 except when combine
with a more electronegative element.)

(iv) Polyatomic ion, the sum of the oxidation numbers of all the atoms equals the charge
on the ion.

SO4 2-
(+6) + 4 (-2)
= +6 + (-8)
= -2
Sum of oxidation number is -2

Cr2O72-
2(+6) + 7(-2)
= -2
Sum of oxidation number is -2

(v) Calculating the oxidation numbers of elements in compounds or ions.

K2Cr2O7
2 (+1) + 2x + 7 (-2) = 0
x = +6
Oxidation number of chromium in K2Cr2O7 is +6

NO3-
x + 3(-2) = -1
x = +5
Oxidation number of nitrogen in NO3- is +5

Hydrogen peroxide, H2O2

2(+1) + 2x = 0
x = -1
Oxidation number of oxygen in H2O2 is -1 (and not -2)
(Usually oxidation number for combined oxygen usually is -2 except in peroxides)

F2O
2(-1) + x = 0
x = +2
Oxidation number of oxygen in F2O is +2 (and not -2)
(Usually oxidation number for combined oxygen usually is -2 except in fluorine compounds)

NaH
(+1) + x = 0
x = -1
Oxidation number of hydrogen in NaH is -1 (and not +1)
(Usually oxidation number for combined hydrogen usually is +1 except in metal hydrides)

AlH3
(+3) + 3x = 0
x = -1
Oxidation number of hydrogen in AlH3 is -1 (and not +1)
(Usually oxidation number for combined hydrogen usually is +1 except in metal hydrides)

MgH2
(+2) + 2x = 0
x = -1
Oxidation number of hydrogen in MgH2 is -1 (and not +1)
(Usually oxidation number for combined hydrogen usually is +1 except in metal hydrides)

(vi) Some metals show different oxidation numbers.

Compound Oxidation number of manganese

MnSO4 +2
MnO2 +4
K2MnO4 +6
KMnO4 +7
Compound Oxidation number of chromium
K2CrO4 +6
K2Cr2O7 +6

(vii) Usually non-metals have negative oxidation numbers but Cl, Br & I can have
positive or negative oxidation number.

Compound Oxidation number of chlorine

HCl -1
ClO2 +4
HClO4 +7

Oxidation and Reduction in Terms of Electron Transfer

2I- (aq) > I2 (aq) + 2e

Oxidation: Iodide ion, I- is a reducing agent because it donates/loses electrons to become I2.

Br2 + 2e > 2Br- (aq)

Reduction: Bromine water, Br2 is an oxidising agent because it receives/accepts electrons
from I- to form bromide ions, Br-.

> Overall reaction: 2I- (aq) + Br2 > I2 (aq) + 2Br- (aq)

Conversion of Fe2+ Ions to Fe3+ Ions and Vice Versa

A) Common oxidising agent (change Fe2+ ions to Fe3+ ions):

bromine, Br2
 chlorine, Cl2

hydrogen peroxide, H2O2

concentrated nitric acid, HNO3

acidified potassium manganate(VII), KMnO4 solution

acidified potassium dichromate(VI), K2Cr2O7 solution

Fe2+ (aq) > Fe3+ (aq) + e

Oxidation: Iron(II) ion, Fe2+ is a reducing agent because it donates/loses one electron to
become Fe3+.

Br2 (aq) + 2e > 2Br- (aq)

Reduction: Bromine water, Br2 is an oxidising agent because it receives/accepts electrons
from Fe2+ to form bromide ions, Br-.

> Observation: iron(II) sulphate solution changes colour from pale green to yellowish-
brown.
> Overall reaction: 2Fe2+ (aq) + Br2 (aq) > 2Fe3+ (aq) +2Br- (aq)

B) Common reducing agent (change Fe3+ ions to Fe2+ions):

zinc powder, Zn

aluminium, Al

Magnesium, Mg

Calcium, Ca

Sulphur dioxide, SO2

Hydrogen sulphide, H2S

Sodium sulphide solution, Na2SO3

Tin(II) chloride solution, SnCl2

Zn (s) > Zn2+ (aq) + 2e

Oxidation: Zinc powder, Zn is a reducing agent because it donates/loses two electrons to
form zinc ions, Zn2+.

Fe3+ (aq) + e > Fe2+ (aq)

Reduction: Iron(III) ion, Fe3+ is an oxidising agent because it receives/accepts one electron to
become Fe2+.
> Observation: iron(III) sulphate solution changes colour from yellowish-brown to pale
green.
> Overall reaction: 2Fe3+ (aq) + Zn (aq) > 2Fe2+ (aq) + Zn2+ (aq)

C) Investigate the presence of iron(II) and iron(III) ions

Reagent Ions Observations

NaOH solution / NH3 Fe2+ Green precipitate,insoluble
solution in excess alkali
NaOH solution / NH3 Fe3+ Brown precipitate,insoluble
solution in excess alkali
Potassium Fe2+ Light blue precipitate
hexacyanoferrate(II)
solution
Potassium Fe3+ Dark blue precipitate
hexacyanoferrate(II)
solution
Potassium Fe2+ Dark blue precipitate
hexacyanoferrate(III)
solution
Potassium Fe3+ Greenish-brown solution
hexacyanoferrate(III)
solution
Potasium / Ammonium Fe2+ Pale red colouration
thiocyanate solution
Potasium / Ammonium Fe3+ Blood-red colouration
thiocyanate solution

Oxidation and Reduction in Terms of Changes in Oxidation Numbers

Redox reactions oxidation number of all elements change.

Rusting of iron, combustion, displacement of metal from its salt solution, displacement of
halogen from its halide solution and electrolysis are redox reaction.

-10 . -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 +10

<- Reduction || Oxidation ->

H2 (g) + CuO (s) > H2O (l) + Cu (s)

Hydrogen: 0 > +1 (Oxidised to water & Hydrogen is a reducing agent)
Copper oxide: +2 > 0 (Reduced to copper & Copper oxide is a oxidising agent)

2Zn (s) + O2 (g) > 2ZnO (s)

Zinc: 0 > +2 (Oxidised to zinc ion & Zinc is a reducing agent)
Oxygen: 0 > -2 (Reduced to oxide ion & Oxygen is an oxidising agent)
 2Mg (s) + CO2 (g) > 2MgO (s) + C (s)
Magnesium: 0 > +2 (Oxidised to magnesium ion & Magnesium is a reducing agent)
Carbon dioxide: +4 > 0 (Reduced to carbon & Carbon dioxide is an oxidising agent)

Br2 (l) + 2HI (aq) > 2HBr (aq) + I2 (s)

Hydroiodic acid / Hydrogen iodide: -1 > 0 (Oxidised to iodine & Hydroiodic acid is
a reducing agent)
Bromine: 0 > -1 (Reduced to hydrobromic acid & Bromine is a oxidising agent)

Non-redox reactions oxidation number of all elements remain unchanged.

Precipitation, decomposition and neutralisation are not redox reaction (non-redox reaction)

Precipitation:

AgNO3 (aq) + NaCl (aq) > AgCl (s) + NaNO3 (aq)

+1 +5 3(-2) +1 -1 +1 -1 +1 +5 3(-2)

No change in the oxidation numbers.

Decomposition:

ZnCO3 (s) > ZnO (s) + CO2 (g)

+2 +4 3(-2) +2 -2 +4 2(-2)

No change in the oxidation numbers.

Neutralisation:

NaOH (aq) + HCl (aq) > NaCl (aq) + H2O (l)

+1 -2 +1 +1 -1 +1 -1 2(+1) -2

No change in the oxidation numbers.

Revision time:

Questions to ask yourself at this point:

1. Do you understand what is a redox reaction?

2. Can you write the two half reactions out of a redox reaction?

3. Do you understand the concept of oxidation number?

4. Give three examples of an oxidising agent and the example of the reaction involved.

5. Give three examples of a reducing agent and the example of the reaction involved.

6. Can you differentiate a redox reaction with a non-redox reaction?

 7. What is the characteristics of a non-redox reaction?

If you can answer all these questions, it shows that you understand the basics of oxidation
and reduction.