Acidic Solutions
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Acidic Solutions
Is there an easier way to determine which side of the equation to add the H20 or the H when balancing a redox equation in an acidic solution that I am not aware of?
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Re: Acidic Solutions
You first use H2O to balance the oxygens so you put the H2O on the side opposite of the molecule that includes oxygen. Then you use H+ to balance the hydrogens so you will likely put the H+ on the side opposite of the H2O. I think there might be a couple exceptions to this, but usually this is how it works.
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Re: Acidic Solutions
Also, don't forget that adding hydronium ions adds electrons to that side when you are balancing the electrons later.
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Re: Acidic Solutions
When a molecule consists of an oxygen atom/s and changes (becomes product / or is reversed into reactant) into its elemental form (i.e. MnO4- becomes Mn2+), you must accommodate for the missing oxygen atom/s. Therefore, when the reaction occurs in an acidic solution, you add H2O to the side without the oxygen and add H+ to the side with the oxygen (to balance the new H atoms from the addition of water). For instance, you would add H20 to the side of the reaction with Mn2+ and H+ to the side of the reaction with MnO4-.
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Re: Acidic Solutions
Balance the equation first by adding H2O to the side that lacks oxygen, then add H+ ions to the other side to balance it overall.
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Re: Acidic Solutions
For acidic solutions, you add H20 to balance the oxygens and then you add H+ to balance the hydrogens. Then you should balance the charges.
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Re: Acidic Solutions
H2O is used to balance oxygens, then since you added extra H with the water, you balance the H2O with H+
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