Elements can lose or gain electrons and become ions. In a compound, electrons are shared or transferred to another element. The sum of the charges is zero for a compound. The oxidation numbers found on the periodic table can be used to follow the exchange of electrons between elements in a compound.
Use the following search engine to help learn about redox reactions:
http://www.google.com/cse/home?cx=005536324144386362660:3ubdk9d3kw8
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This search engine provides all the information you need to understand Oxidation and Reduction reactions
As you follow the links, make sure you can do the following:
- assign oxidation numbers to elements in a compound.
- know the rules for assigning oxidation numbers
- Determine which element in a redox reaction is oxidized and which one is reduced.
- write an oxidation half- reaction and a reduction half-reaction
- Label the parts of an electrochemical cell
- trace the path of electrons through a voltaic cell and an electrolytic cell
- compare an electrolytic cell to a voltaic cell. How are they similar? How are they different?
- In what ways are electrochemical cells useful to us? How do we use this chemical reaction for our benefit.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/gform?key=0AnQFuibqI5nPdElvOEZkMm95MEc3bXdzZUVQUHJEa0E&hl=en#edit
Enjoy!!
