On The Methods for Balancing Redox Reactions: Three Important Methods

TCE

The Chemical Educator

ISSN: 1430-4171 (electronic version)

Table of Contents

Abstract Volume 26 (2021) pp 14-22

On The Methods for Balancing Redox Reactions: Three Important Methods

Ivan L. Dukov

Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry, University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, 8, Kliment Okhridski Blvd., 1756 Sofia, Bulgaria; idukov@abv.bg; dukov@uctm.edu
Received September 17, 2020. Accepted November 20, 2020.

Published: 18 January 2021

Abstract. The use of the algebraic method, the oxidation number method and the half-reactions method for balancing redox reactions has been commented. The proposed approach to the algebraic method gives a possibility to balance redox reactions by elementary mathematics avoiding the laborious solution of numerous linear algebraic equations. Although the oxidation number method and the half-reactions method have some limitations, they can be used for balancing of almost all redox reactions. Ten redox reactions have been balanced consecutively by the three methods.

Key Words: In the Classroom; general chemistry; redox reactions; algebraic method; oxidation number method; half-reactions method

(*) Corresponding author. (E-mail: dukov@uctm.edu )

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