Writing half reactions

[Dina Marchenko 2J]

When writing half reactions to balance a redox reaction, does it matter what you put as the reactants or products? In the textbook, they always put the oxidized molecule on the left and reduced on the right (they do the same for cell diagram). Does it matter? Is it proper to keep oxidized on the left and reduced on the right or should u focus on writing the spontaneous reaction for the half reaction (or doesn’t matter)?

[Amy Pham 1D]

It seems that keeping the oxidized molecules on the left and the reduced molecules on the right takes precedence in writing out half reactions for redox reactions.

[Nick Fiorentino 1E]

I think it's best to keep oxidized molecules on the left and reduced on the right because this is how you write out cell diagrams (oxidized II reduced)

[Sanjana Borle 2K]

Yes, usually in cell diagrams you write the anode then the cathode from left to right, so to keep it consistent it makes sense to do this.

[Angela Prince 1J]

it makes sense to do it that way, but would it necessarily be wrong to write it the other way around?

[Katie Bart 1I]

Why would you not just write the half reaction how it is given?

[Madeline Phan 1E]

The oxidized molecules should be on the left and the reduced should be on the right because that is how the equation is set up for cell diagrams.

[Altamash Mahsud 1I]

It is better to put the oxidation part of the reaction (anode) on the left side and the reduction part of the reaction (cathode) on the right side so you don't confuse yourself because this is how the book does it. The book sets up the cell diagrams in this way too, so it is recommended that you do it this way as well.

[Diana Andrade_4F]

Yes! It's best to keep oxidized molecules to the left and reduced molecules to the right, this is also stated in the textbook.

[Cooper Baddley 1F]

It's better to keep oxidation on the left and reduction on the right for cell diagrams or not. It says so in the textbook