Balancing Equations

[Brandon Tao 1K]

How do you determine what is being oxidized or reduced? By looking at the oxidation number?

[madawy]

handy steps found online :)

To determine if a redox reaction has occurred and to identify the element oxidized and the element reduced:

Assign oxidation numbers to all atoms in the equation. (NOTE: Ignore the coefficients in the equation. They are not important when determining the oxidation numbers.)
Compare oxidation numbers from the reactant side to the product side of the equation.
If a redox reaction has occurred, you will find that the oxidation numbers of two (no more/no less) elements has changed from the reactant side to the product side.
The element oxidized is the one whose oxidation number increased.
The element reduced is the one whose oxidation number decreased.

[KarineKim2L]

Yes. Whatever has an oxidation number that becomes lower in the products is reduced, and whatever has an oxidation number that increases in the products is oxidized.

[505316964]

If the oxidation number is increasing, it's being oxidized.
If the oxidation number is decreasing, it's being reduced.

[Savannah Mance 4G]

The element or molecule that is being oxidized is the one that is losing electrons and whichever is being reduced is the one that is gaining electrons. My high school chem teacher taught us the acronym OIL RIG to help us remember (oxidation is loss of e- and reduction is gain of e-). Hope that helps :)

[Shrayes Raman]

Look at both sides of the equation and determine which species is gaining electons and which is losing and that should tell you which is being oxidized and which is reduced.