Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 20: Problem 14

(a) What is meant by the term reduction? (b) On which side of a reduction half-reaction do the electrons appear? (c) What is meant by the term reductant? (d) What is meant by the term reducing agent?

Short Answer

Expert verified
(a) Reduction is a chemical process where a substance gains electrons or has a decrease in its oxidation state during a redox reaction. (b) In a reduction half-reaction, electrons appear on the reactant side (left side) of the equation, as they are gained by the species undergoing reduction. (c) A reductant or reducing agent is a species that loses electrons in a redox reaction and causes the reduction of another species. It donates electrons to another substance, thus getting oxidized itself in the process.

Step by step solution

01

(a) Definition of Reduction

Reduction is a chemical process in which a substance gains electrons or has a decrease in its oxidation state during a redox (reduction-oxidation) reaction. In other words, it is the process of the transfer of electrons from one species to another, where the species that gains electrons is said to be reduced.
02

(b) Electrons Appearing on side of a Reduction Half-Reaction

In a reduction half-reaction, electrons appear on the reactant side (left side) of the equation. This is because they are involved in the reaction to be gained by the species that is undergoing reduction. The general representation of a reduction half-reaction is: \[Ox_e^+ + ne^- \rightarrow Red\] Where \(Ox_e^+\) is the oxidized species, \(n\) is the number of electrons transferred, \(Red\) is the reduced species, and \(e^-\) is the electron.
03

(c) Definition of Reductant

A reductant, also known as a reducing agent, is a species that loses electrons in a redox reaction and causes the reduction of another species. In simpler terms, a reductant is a substance that donates electrons to another substance in a redox reaction, thus getting oxidized itself in the process.
04

(d) Definition of Reducing Agent

A reducing agent or reducing substance is a species that causes the reduction of another substance by donating electrons to it during a redox reaction. The reducing agent gets oxidized in the process as it loses electrons. It's important to note that a reducing agent and reductant are essentially the same thing and can be used interchangeably.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

Cytochrome, a complicated molecule that we will represent as \(\mathrm{CyFe}^{2+},\) reacts with the air we breathe to supply energy required to synthesize adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The body uses ATP as an energy source to drive other reactions. (Section 19.7) At pH 7.0 the following reduction potentials pertain to this oxidation of \(\mathrm{CyFe}^{2+}:\) $$ \begin{aligned} \mathrm{O}_{2}(g)+4 \mathrm{H}^{+}(a q)+4 \mathrm{e}^{-} \longrightarrow & 2 \mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}(l) & & E_{\mathrm{red}}^{\circ}=+0.82 \mathrm{~V} \\\ \mathrm{CyFe}^{3+}(a q)+\mathrm{e}^{-} \longrightarrow \mathrm{CyFe}^{2+}(a q) & & E_{\mathrm{red}}^{\mathrm{o}}=+0.22 \mathrm{~V} \end{aligned} $$ (a) What is \(\Delta G\) for the oxidation of \(\mathrm{CyFe}^{2+}\) by air? (b) If the synthesis of \(1.00 \mathrm{~mol}\) of ATP from adenosine diphosphate (ADP) requires a \(\Delta G\) of \(37.7 \mathrm{~kJ},\) how many moles of ATP are synthesized per mole of \(\mathrm{O}_{2}\) ?

The Haber process is the principal industrial route for converting nitrogen into ammonia: $$\mathrm{N}_{2}(g)+3 \mathrm{H}_{2}(g) \longrightarrow 2 \mathrm{NH}_{3}(g)$$ (a) What is being oxidized, and what is being reduced? (b) Using the thermodynamic data in Appendix \(\mathrm{C}\), calculate the equilibrium constant for the process at room temperature. (c) Calculate the standard emf of the Haber process at room temperature.

A voltaic cell utilizes the following reaction: $$2 \mathrm{Fe}^{3+}(a q)+\mathrm{H}_{2}(g) \longrightarrow 2 \mathrm{Fe}^{2+}(a q)+2 \mathrm{H}^{+}(a q)$$ (a) What is the emf of this cell under standard conditions? (b) What is the emf for this cell when \(\left[\mathrm{Fe}^{3+}\right]=3.50 \mathrm{M}\), \(P_{\mathrm{H}_{2}}=0.95 \mathrm{~atm},\left[\mathrm{Fe}^{2+}\right]=0.0010 \mathrm{M},\) and the \(\mathrm{pH}\) in both half-cells is \(4.00 ?\)

(a) Write the half-reaction that occurs at a hydrogen electrode in acidic aqueous solution when it serves as the anode of a voltaic cell. (b) The platinum electrode in a standard hydrogen electrode is specially prepared to have a large surface area. Why is this important? (c) Sketch a standard hydrogen electrode.

How does a zinc coating on iron protect the iron from unwanted oxidation? [Section 20.8\(]\)
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

Chemical Reactions

Read Explanation

Chemical Analysis

Read Explanation

Physical Chemistry

Read Explanation

Inorganic Chemistry

Read Explanation

Ionic and Molecular Compounds

Read Explanation

The Earths Atmosphere

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free