Exercises: Who is oxidized and who is reduced
Practice★★☆
When a zinc nail is dipped into a copper sulfate solution, the following reaction occurs: $$\text{Zn} + \text{Cu}^{2+} \rightarrow \text{Zn}^{2+} + \text{Cu}$$ Assign…
When a zinc nail is dipped into a copper sulfate solution, the following reaction occurs:
$$\text{Zn} + \text{Cu}^{2+} \rightarrow \text{Zn}^{2+} + \text{Cu}$$Assign the oxidation numbers of each species before and after, indicate which one is oxidized and which one is reduced, and identify the oxidizing agent and the reducing agent.
Practice★★★
Magnesium ribbon burns in air with an intense white light according to the reaction $2\,\text{Mg} + \text{O}2 \rightarrow 2\,\text{MgO}$. Assign the oxidation numbers of…
Magnesium ribbon burns in air with an intense white light according to the reaction $2\,\text{Mg} + \text{O}_2 \rightarrow 2\,\text{MgO}$. Assign the oxidation numbers of all species, identify the oxidizing agent and the reducing agent, and explain why we say that the magnesium "was oxidized" even though the word oxidation does not always involve oxygen.