Balance the following half-reactions. (c) (acidic) NO 3 - (aq) → NO 2 (aq)

Hi everyone. So you're asking about the balance have reactions under basic conditions and identify whether it is an oxidation or reduction reaction. We need to first write this out. We have video two plus years. It's gonna give us B. O two plus one. Now we need to balance the non hydrogen and non oxygen elements first. And as you can see this is already balanced. So the next thing we need to do is balance the oxygen by adding H20 liquid. To decide that needs oxygen. You have to auction on the reaction side. Put one on the product side so we can add one H 20 liquid. And then we have two options on the product side. Now I need to balance our hydrogen by adding H plus the side that needs hydrogen. We have no hydrogen on the right hand side we have two on the product side. We can add two h plus on the reacting side, dynamic imbalance are charges by adding the electrons to the more positive side. If you look at our charges plus two here plus one here plus two and zero we're gonna have overall charge of plus three Over here Plus two over here we need to add electrons to the reacting side. We're gonna add one electron. So now we're gonna balance any remaining H plus by adding an equal amount of O. H minus ions to both sides. You have to age plus on the right hand side but none on the private side. We need to add 20 H minus to both sides. We're gonna get the L two plus equals Plus two H plus plus one electron plus two O H minus. It's going to be L two plus. Like what Plus H 2 0. Liquid. That's 20. H minus. Hey chris. And so now that H plus and the O H minus will combine to form H +20 liquid. You're gonna get bl two plus a quiz plus two H +20 liquid plus one electron, Michelle's VL two plus Quinn plus H +20 liquid plus two O H minus. So now we can cancel our common species. We have two H two over on the raft inside. But one on the product side we're gonna be left at one H on the inside. So far. Our balanced reaction. V O two plus Plus H 20. Quinn Plus one electron. And it shows v. O. In class Plus 20. H. Finance for our oxidation reaction. This means we're losing electrons that the electrons gonna be on the product side. And for the reduction reaction we're gaining electrons to the electron is going to be on the wrapped inside. But in this case this is a reduction reaction. You have electrons on the left side. We're gaining electrons. Thanks for watching my video and I hope it was helpful

Ch.19 - Electrochemistry

All textbooks

McMurry 8th Edition

Ch.19 - Electrochemistry

Problem 49c

Chapter 19, Problem 49c

Balance the following half-reactions. (c) (acidic) NO₃^-(aq) → NO₂(aq)

Verified step by step guidance

Identify the elements that need balancing in the half-reaction: NO_3^- \rightarrow NO_2.

Balance the nitrogen atoms. In this case, there is one nitrogen atom on each side, so they are already balanced.

Balance the oxygen atoms by adding H_2O molecules. There are 3 oxygen atoms in NO_3^- and 2 in NO_2, so add 1 H_2O to the right side.

Balance the hydrogen atoms by adding H^+ ions. Since you added 1 H_2O, add 2 H^+ to the left side to balance the 2 hydrogen atoms.

Balance the charge by adding electrons. The left side has a charge of -1 (from NO_3^-) and the right side has a charge of +1 (from 2 H^+), so add 2 electrons to the left side to balance the charges.

Verified video answer for a similar problem:

This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.

Video duration:

Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Half-Reaction Method

The half-reaction method is a technique used to balance redox reactions by separating the oxidation and reduction processes. Each half-reaction is balanced for mass and charge, allowing for a clearer understanding of electron transfer. This method is particularly useful in acidic or basic solutions, where additional steps may be required to account for protons (H+) and hydroxide ions (OH-).

Oxidation States

Oxidation states (or numbers) are a way to keep track of electrons in chemical reactions, particularly in redox processes. They indicate the degree of oxidation of an atom in a compound, helping to identify which species are oxidized and reduced. Understanding oxidation states is crucial for balancing half-reactions, as it allows for the determination of electron transfer during the reaction.

Acidic Medium

An acidic medium refers to a solution where the concentration of hydrogen ions (H+) is higher than that of hydroxide ions (OH-). In balancing half-reactions in acidic conditions, H+ ions and water (H2O) are often added to balance the equation. Recognizing the environment of the reaction is essential, as it influences the species involved and the balancing process.