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Redox chemistry Redox reactions describe all chemical reactions in which atoms have their oxidation number (oxidation

state) changed. This can be either a simple redox process, such as the oxidation of carbon to yield carbon dioxide (CO2) or the reduction of carbon by hydrogen to yield methane (CH4), or a complex process such as the oxidation of sugar (C6H12O6) in the human body through a series of complex electron transfer processes. Redox reactions, or oxidation-reduction reactions, have a number of similarities to acid-base reactions. Fundamentally, redox reactions are a family of reactions that are concerned with the transfer of electrons between species. Like acid-base reactions, redox reactions are a matched set -you don't have an oxidation reaction without a reduction reaction happening at the same time. Oxidation refers to the loss of electrons, while reduction refers to the gain of electrons. Each reaction by itself is called a "half-reaction", simply because we need two (2) half-reactions to form a whole reaction. In notating redox reactions, chemists typically write out the electrons explicitly: The term comes from the two concepts of reduction and oxidation. It can be explained in simple terms:

Oxidation is the loss of electrons or an increase in oxidation state by a molecule, atom, or ion. Reduction is the gain of electrons or a decrease in oxidation state by a molecule, atom, or ion.

Though sufficient for many purposes, these descriptions are not precisely correct. Oxidation and reduction properly refer to a change in oxidation number the actual transfer of electrons may never occur. Thus, oxidation is better defined as an increase in oxidation number, and reduction as a decrease in oxidation number. In practice, the transfer of electrons will always cause a change in oxidation number, but there are many reactions that are classed as "redox" even though no electron transfer occurs (such as those involving covalent bonds). Oxidation number is a concept and does not reflect the actual number of electron transferred. In , Cr2O72- the oxidation number of Chromium is +6. It does not indicate that 6 electron being transferred in the redox reaction of dichromate.

Non-redox reactions, which do not involve changes in formal charge, are known as metathesis reactions.

In redox processes the reductant transfers electrons to the oxidant. Thus, in the reaction, the reductant or reducing agent loses electrons and is oxidized, and the oxidant or oxidizing agent gains electrons and is reduced. The pair of an oxidizing and reducing agent that are involved in a particular reaction is called a redox pair. Substances that have the ability to oxidize other substances are said to be oxidative or oxidizing and are known as oxidizing agents, oxidants, or oxidizers. Put another way, the oxidant (oxidizing agent) removes electrons from another substance i.e. it oxidizes other substances, and is thus itself reduced. And, because it "accepts" electrons, it is also called an electron acceptor. Oxidants are usually chemical elements or substances with elements in high oxidation numbers (e.g., H2O2, MnO4, CrO3, Cr2O72A good example is the reaction between hydrogen and fluorine in which hydrogen is being oxidized and fluorine is being reduced: H2 + F2 2 HF We can write this overall reaction as two half-reactions: the oxidation reaction: H2 2 H+ + 2 e and the reduction reaction: F2 + 2 e 2 F

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