REDOX

Now to tackle one of the hated parts of chemistry, unless you are a maths Genious (high five!) or love chemistry so everything's dead easy for you anyway.

REDOX

Thought this may seem useful for you guys. Seems very AWESOME actually.












In REDOX reactions some things will get OXIDISED and some things  will get REDUCED.
Oxidation is the loss of electrons and reduction id the gain of electrons.My friend finds it very easy to remember which one is which by this very simple mnemonic OIL RIG.

O: Oxidation
I: Is
L: Loss

R: Reduction
I: Is
G: Gain

I simply think about it, reduction means go down so the charge (oxidation state) will get more negative therefore reduction id gain of electrons. So now you know oxidation is the opposite.

You all have different memories so pick and chose.

There are some rules which you will have to memorise in order to help you in the exam to remember how to work out oxidation states. Remember when it even mentions REDOX or reduction or oxidation you'll know which guns to take out.

Group 1: +1
Group 2: +2
Group 7: -1
Oxygen: -2, Unless it is Hydrogen peroxide then O: -1
Hydrogen: +1, unless it is metal hydrides then H: -1
Transition metals: You will be told in the question, it will give you a Roman number.

An element on it's own has a oxidation number of 0. And unless a molecule has a charge on it then the oxidation states of the atoms within MUST cancel out.

Now something to calm you down:

• Metals form + ions so they lose electrons. They get oxidised as their oxidation number goes up.
• Non-metals generally form - ions so they are reduced because they gain electrons and their oxidation number gets more negative.