MHB Oxidation Numbers: Fe203+3CO to 2Fe+3CO2

  • Thread starter Thread starter markosheehan
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Numbers Oxidation
Click For Summary
In the reaction Fe2O3 + 3CO → 2Fe + 3CO2, iron (Fe) is reduced as it gains electrons, while carbon (C) is oxidized as it loses electrons. The oxidation states are clarified by expressing the ions: Fe3+ and O2- for iron oxide, and C2+ and O2- for carbon monoxide. It is noted that while valency can guide the determination of oxidation numbers, it is not always accurate, as seen with carbon's valency of 4 compared to its oxidation state of +2 in this reaction. Oxygen consistently has an oxidation state of -2 in compounds, and the oxidation number of a compound must equal zero. Understanding these principles is essential for accurately identifying oxidation and reduction in chemical reactions.
markosheehan
Messages
133
Reaction score
0
By using oxidation numbers can someone show me what is oxidised and reduced

Fe203+3co->2Fe+3co2
 
Mathematics news on Phys.org
markosheehan said:
By using oxidation numbers can someone show me what is oxidised and reduced

Fe203+3co->2Fe+3co2

Hi Marko,

Making the ion forms explicit, we have:
$$
{Fe^{3+}}_2{0^{2-}}_3+3C^{2+}O^{2-}\to 2Fe+3C^{4+}{O^{2-}}_2
$$
So $Fe$ gains electrons and as such it is reduced.
And $C$ loses electrons, meaning it is oxidized.
 
I like Serena said:
Hi Marko,

Making the ion forms explicit, we have:
$$
{Fe^{3+}}_2{0^{2-}}_3+3C^{2+}O^{2-}\to 2Fe+3C^{4+}{O^{2-}}_2
$$
So $Fe$ gains electrons and as such it is reduced.
And $C$ loses electrons, meaning it is oxidized.

thanks
I usually go to the periodic table and look at the elements valency and then i take this as the oxidation number. this is not always correct though?
for example carbon has a valency of 4 but in the above equation it is 2+.
so you go off the ones you know like oxygen is always -2 and the oxidation number of a compound must always equal zero.
 
markosheehan said:
thanks
I usually go to the periodic table and look at the elements valency and then i take this as the oxidation number. this is not always correct though?
for example carbon has a valency of 4 but in the above equation it is 2+.
so you go off the ones you know like oxygen is always -2 and the oxidation number of a compound must always equal zero.

Yes, in compounds oxygen is always -2.
The metals (that are oxidized) usually have more than one oxidation number, and the valency doesn't even have to be one of them (copper for example).
 

Thread 'Significant figures for inherently bound values'

I have been insisting to my statistics students that for probabilities, the rule is the number of significant figures is the number of digits past the leading zeros or leading nines. For example to give 4 significant figures for a probability: 0.000001234 and 0.99999991234 are the correct number of decimal places. That way the complementary probability can also be given to the same significant figures ( 0.999998766 and 0.00000008766 respectively). More generally if you have a value that...
View full post »

Similar threads

MHB Oxidation and reduction question
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
Why Can't Tertiary Alcohols Be Oxidized?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Surface oxidation of aluminum alloy and electrical continuity
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
4K
Chemistry How to Determine the Oxidation Number of Fe in FeCO3?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
4K
MHB Explaining Copper(2) Oxide Bonding & ECs
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
How do copper oxide solar cells work?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
1K
Electrolysis: Dark blue oxide from steel?
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
3K
Oxidation Numbers for H3AsO4 and H2S Equation
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
MHB Oxidation-Reduction in 2Ca + O2 -> 2CaO Reaction
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
5K
Photocatalytic oxidation over TiO2
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K