Half Reactions

[Alison Trinh 1E]

What is a "half reaction"?

[Dan M -3E]

A "half reaction" is when you split up the redox reaction into the oxidation reaction and the reduction reaction. So, instead of the electrons being transferred from one atom/molecule to another, we can see just the way the electrons are changed in a single one of the reaction molecules.

[Anisha Chandra 1K]

An example of some half reactions would be:

Zn(s) --> Zn2+(aq)
Cu2+(aq) --> Cu (s)

[Anna Chen 1K]

There are two half reactions in a redox reaction. Oxidation is the half reaction involving a loss of electrons; reduction is the half reaction involving a gain of electrons.

[Charysa Santos 4G]

A half reaction is either the reduction reaction (gaining electrons) or oxidation reaction (losing electrons) that make up your redox reaction.

[PranaviKolla2B]

Could someone explain how the reducing agent and the oxidizing agent relate to the half reactions of a redox reaction?

[Angela Wu-2H]

An example of some half reactions would be:

Zn(s) --> Zn2+(aq)
Cu2+(aq) --> Cu (s)

So in these examples, which one is oxidizing and which one is reducing?

[Timmy Nguyen Dis 1I]

A half reaction is just one part of the redox reaction, it could be the reduction OR the oxidation of the species

[Alice Chang 2H]

An example of some half reactions would be:

Zn(s) --> Zn2+(aq)
Cu2+(aq) --> Cu (s)

So in these examples, which one is oxidizing and which one is reducing?

Since Zn is becoming more positive, it is being oxidized (losing electrons).
Since Cu2+ becomes more negative, it is being reduced (gaining electrons).

[chari_maya 3B]

I don't think the oxidizing/reducing agents are explicit in the half reactions, rather there is a focus on what gains/loses electrons.

[305385703]

A half reaction is a way of representing a certain part of a redox reaction. It shows just the process of either reduction or oxidation and the electrons that are involved.

[Lauren Stack 1C]

A half reaction is used when trying to balance a redox reaction for our purposes. One of the half reaction shows the oxidation, while the other demonstrates the reduction. This equations allow you to keep track of the electrons being transferred in order to balance the equation properly.

[J_CHEN 4I]

The "redox" in "redox reaction" is short for reduction-oxidation. The half-reaction of a reduction-oxidation reaction is the reduction reaction and the other half-reaction is the oxidation reaction.