Which element is oxidized in the reaction below

Already have an account? Log In. What scientific concept do you need to know in order to solve this problem? Our tutors have indicated that to solve this problem you will need to apply the Redox Reactions concept. You can view video lessons to learn Redox Reactions. Or if you need more Redox Reactions practice, you can also practice Redox Reactions practice problems. Our expert Chemistry tutor, Bethany took 2 minutes and 17 seconds to solve this problem.

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Analytical Chemistry Video Lessons. Cell Biology Video Lessons. A decomposition reaction is the reverse of a combination reaction, the breakdown of a chemical compound into individual elements:. This follows the definition of the decomposition reaction, where water is "decomposed" into hydrogen and oxygen.

Note that the autoionization reaction of water is not a redox nor decomposition reaction since the oxidation states do not change for any element:. A single replacement reaction involves the "replacing" of an element in the reactants with another element in the products:.

A double replacement reaction is similar to a single replacement reaction, but involves "replacing" two elements in the reactants, with two in the products:. An example of a double replacement reaction is the reaction of magnesium sulfate with sodium oxalate. Combustion is the formal terms for "burning" and typically involves a substance reacts with oxygen to transfer energy to the surroundings as light and heat. Hence, combustion reactions are almost always exothermic.

Although combustion reactions typically involve redox reactions with a chemical being oxidized by oxygen, many chemicals can "burn" in other environments. For example, both titanium and magnesium metals can burn in nitrogen as well:. Both reaction b and reaction d are combustion reactions, although with different oxidizing agents. In disproportionation reactions, a single substance can be both oxidized and reduced.

These are known as disproportionation reactions, with the following general equation:. Disproportionation reactions do not need begin with neutral molecules, and can involve more than two species with differing oxidation states but rarely. This a decomposition reaction of hydrogen peroxide, which produces oxygen and water.

Oxygen is present in all parts of the chemical equation and as a result it is both oxidized and reduced. The reaction is as follows:. You can confirm that by identifying the oxidation states of each atom in each species.

Rules for Assigning Oxidation States The oxidation state OS of an element corresponds to the number of electrons, e - , that an atom loses, gains, or appears to use when joining with other atoms in compounds. Oxidation: A process in which an atom loses an electron and therefore increases its oxidation number.

In other words, the positive character of the species is increased. Historically, the term "oxidation" was used because the redox reactions that were first systematically investigated took place in oxygen, with oxygen being reduced and the other species being oxidized, hence the term oxidation reaction.

However, it was later realized that this case oxidation reactions involving oxygen was just one possible scenario. For example consider the redox reaction shown below.

So oxidation reactions need not involve oxygen.