[Chem] Balancing Redox Eqn Any Diff from Regular?

[dt_]

Homework Statement

Balance this redox equation.

Homework Equations

$$Ag + H^{+} + NO_{3} ^{-} \rightarrow Ag^{+} + H_{2}O + NO$$

The Attempt at a Solution

Using a conventional balancing mechanism I got these coefficients:

1 + 8 + 2 -> 1 + 4 + 2

but the correct answer according to the text is:

3 + 4 + 1 -> 3 + 2 + 1

I am guessing my answer is wrong because of something to do with the oxidation numbers... but what exactly is the problem? Are the oxidation numbers for each of the elements supposed to remain the same on both sides of the eqn? Are they supposed to change? My last chem class was a couple years ago so I don't quite remember :)

Thank you very much!

 

[atavistic]

Nxidation no. shoudnt be equal but the increase/decrease ratio of ON has to be equal.TO escape from this increase/decrease thing we use another way of balancing called ION ELECTRON method. IN this we break the reaction into 2 halves : Oxidation and reduction. Then we balance the elemets(apart from H and O) and then balance O and then lastly H.We have to balance charges and also multiply the 2 equations with suitable coeffecients so that the electrons you have added(to make charge equal) cancel out.

 

[Blueshift5]

Hello,

Balancing redox equations is slightly different from balancing regular chemical equations because it involves the transfer of electrons between different elements. In order to balance a redox equation, you must make sure that the number of electrons lost by the reducing agent (the substance that gets oxidized) is equal to the number of electrons gained by the oxidizing agent (the substance that gets reduced).

In this particular equation, silver (Ag) is being oxidized from a 0 oxidation state to a +1 oxidation state, while nitrate (NO3-) is being reduced from a +5 oxidation state to a +2 oxidation state. This means that there is a transfer of 3 electrons from silver to nitrate.

Your attempt at a solution has the correct coefficients, but the oxidation numbers are not balanced. You have Ag going from 0 to +1, but NO3- is going from +5 to +2. This means that there is a net loss of 3 electrons on the left side, but a net gain of only 2 electrons on the right side, which is incorrect.

The correct answer, 3 + 4 + 1 -> 3 + 2 + 1, has the same number of electrons on both sides of the equation. 3 electrons are being transferred from silver to nitrate, and 1 electron is being transferred from hydrogen to silver, making a total of 4 electrons being transferred from the reducing agent (silver and hydrogen) to the oxidizing agent (nitrate).

So in short, the oxidation numbers for each element do not necessarily have to remain the same on both sides of the equation, but the number of electrons transferred must be balanced. I hope this helps!