Redox Reactions and Electrochemistry


Chapter Objectives
At the end of this unit students will be able to
1.  define oxidation and reduction in terms of the loss or gain of oxygen and the loss or gain of electrons.
2.  state the characteristics of a redox reaction and identify the oxidizing agent and reducing agent.
3.  describe the corrosion of iron.
4.  determine the oxidation number of an atom of any element in a pure substance
5.  define oxidation and reduction in terms of a change in oxidation number and identify atoms being oxidized or reduced in redox reactions.
6.  balance a redox equation using the oxidation number change and the half-reaction methods.
7.  interpret an activity series and identify the elements that are most easily oxidized and those that are least easily oxidized.
8.  name the types of reactions involved in electrochemical processes.
9.  describe how a voltaic cell produces electrical energy.
10.  identify what causes the electical potential of an electrochemical cell.
11.  distinguish between electrolytic and voltaic cells.
12.  describe current technologies that use electrochemical processes to produce energy.
Key Terms
half-reaction
half-reaction method
oxidation
oxidation number
oxidation number change method
oxidation reduction reaction
oxidizing agent
redox reaction
reducing agent
reduction 		anode
batterj
cathode
cell potential
dry cell
electrical potential
electrochemical cell
electrochemical process
electrode
electrolysis
electrolytic cell
half-cell
reduction potential
salt bridge
standard cell potential
standard hydrogen electrode
voltaic cell