NiCKEL Posted November 10, 2015 Report Share Posted November 10, 2015 (edited) for a reaction like X + Y + H2O ---> A + B what would the half equations be? How is the water factored in? EDIT: Also for AB + HC ---> AC + C + B where compound AB is copper and sulphur, and compound AC is copper (II) nitrate so it needs both reactants...how do I separate this into a half equation? I can see that C will come from HC like HC ---> C and B will come from AB like AB ---> B but I don't know how to do these weird combinations Edited November 10, 2015 by NiCKEL Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kw0573 Posted November 10, 2015 Report Share Posted November 10, 2015 (edited) For balancing by half equations, you should still find the oxidation numbers, unless you are given the coefficients. There are no "weird" balancing once you get the oxidation numbers right. Sometimes a species is both oxidized and reduced, but they are still not weird.CuS + HNO3 ----> Cu(NO3)2 + S (or S8)Is that the right equation? copper and sulfur both look oxidized.EDIT: you shouldn't generalize types of oxidation numbers using AB + HC or the like, you just have to know that if the oxidation number goes up, it is oxidized and releases electron(s), and if the oxidation number goes down it is reduced and "absorbs" or "takes in" electron(s).It's easier to do with a specific example. Edited November 10, 2015 by kw0573 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiCKEL Posted November 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2015 For balancing by half equations, you should still find the oxidation numbers, unless you are given the coefficients. There are no "weird" balancing once you get the oxidation numbers right. Sometimes a species is both oxidized and reduced, but they are still not weird.CuS + HNO3 ----> Cu(NO3)2 + S (or S8)Is that the right equation? copper and sulfur both look oxidized.EDIT: you shouldn't generalize types of oxidation numbers using AB + HC or the like, you just have to know that if the oxidation number goes up, it is oxidized and releases electron(s), and if the oxidation number goes down it is reduced and "absorbs" or "takes in" electron(s).It's easier to do with a specific example.Sorry I thought generalizing would make it easier but now that I re-read it I shouldn't have done that. Basically can you help me with this equation: CuS + HNO3 ---> Cu(NO3)2 + NO2 + SO2 The answer key is: CuS + 8 HNO3 ---> Cu(NO3)2 + 6 NO2 + SO2 + 4 H2O I'm really bad at writing half equations when it's not clearly 2 reactants 2 products Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kw0573 Posted November 10, 2015 Report Share Posted November 10, 2015 let's continue in chat Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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