C18H32O2 + 2H2 - C18H3602; oxidized or reduced?

To determine whether a reaction involves oxidation or reduction, you need to compare the oxidation states of the atoms before and after the reaction.

In the reaction you provided, the compound C18H32O2 reacts with 2H2 to produce C18H3602.

By comparing the oxidation state of carbon (C) and hydrogen (H) atoms, we can see that the oxidation state of carbon increases from +4 to +8, while the oxidation state of hydrogen decreases from 0 to -1.

Based on these changes in oxidation states, we can conclude that carbon has been oxidized, and hydrogen has been reduced.

To determine whether a compound is oxidized or reduced in a reaction, we need to compare the oxidation states of the elements involved before and after the reaction.

Let's start by identifying the oxidation state of each element in the reaction:

C18H32O2 + 2H2 - C18H3602

In this equation, we have carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O) as elements.

The general rule for determining the oxidation state of carbon is that it is considered to be +4 in organic compounds. So in C18H32O2, each carbon atom has an oxidation state of +4.

In H2, hydrogen is in its elemental form, so its oxidation state is 0.

In C18H3602, carbon is again in its +4 oxidation state.

In the overall reaction, the carbon atoms go from being present in C18H32O2 to being present in C18H3602. Since the oxidation state of carbon does not change between these compounds, carbon in this reaction is neither oxidized nor reduced.

On the other hand, the hydrogen atoms go from being present in H2 (with an oxidation state of 0) to being present in C18H3602 (where they are bonded to carbon with an oxidation state of +4). Hydrogen has gained electrons in this reaction, so it has been reduced.

To summarize, in the reaction C18H32O2 + 2H2 - C18H3602, the hydrogen atoms are reduced. The carbon atoms, however, remain in the same oxidation state and are neither oxidized nor reduced.

Is WHAT oxidized or reduced. One of the reactants is oxidized; the other is reduced.