A silver Christmas tree can be made by placing copper wire,shaped in the form of a tree,into a silver nitrate solution.The unbalanced equation for the reaction is:Cu+AgNO3=Cu(NO3)2+Age
9.1 define the term oxidation in terms of oxidation numbers
(9.2) write down the following for the reaction above:
9.2.1 formula of the reducing agent
9.2.2 name of the oxidising agent
9.2.3 oxidation half-reaction
9.2.4 balanced net ionic equation using the ion-electron method
9.3 use oxidation numbers to explain your choice of oxidising agent in QUESTION 9.2.2
9.1: In terms of oxidation numbers, oxidation is defined as the process in which an atom or ion loses electrons, resulting in an increase in its oxidation number.
9.2.1: The formula of the reducing agent is Cu because it is the substance that undergoes oxidation by losing electrons.
9.2.2: The oxidising agent is AgNO3 (silver nitrate) because it is the substance that undergoes reduction by gaining electrons.
9.2.3: The oxidation half-reaction for Cu is:
Cu → Cu2+ + 2e-
This half-reaction represents the oxidation of copper where it loses electrons, resulting in an increase in its oxidation state from 0 to +2.
9.2.4: To write a balanced net ionic equation using the ion-electron method, we need to consider the oxidation half-reaction and the reduction half-reaction. The balanced equation is as follows:
Cu + 2AgNO3 → Cu(NO3)2 + 2Ag
9.3: The choice of AgNO3 (silver nitrate) as the oxidising agent can be explained by considering the oxidation numbers. In the reaction, silver (Ag) in AgNO3 is reduced from an oxidation state of +1 to 0, going from Ag+ to Ag. This reduction occurs as silver gains electrons. Therefore, AgNO3 acts as the oxidising agent since it is responsible for causing the oxidation of copper by accepting electrons and being reduced itself.