Redox in Acid/ Basic Solutions

[Ying Yan 1F]

What is the difference between doing a redox reaction for an acidic reaction and a redox reaction for a basic reaction? Thank you!

[Caroline Beecher 2H]

I think that the process is the same for both redox reactions of acidic and basic solutions. The difference will come in balancing the equation and whether you are adding H+ (acidic reactions) or OH- (basic reactions).

[CynthiaLy4F]

The main difference is how you would balance the half reactions in the redox reaction. Under acidic conditions, you would balance the hydrogen atoms by adding protons (H+). For reactions in basic conditions, you would follow the same process as if it was under acidic conditions, but you would add hydroxide ions (OH-) to balance any H+.

[Shanzey]

For acidic reactions, we have to add water to the reduction and oxidation reactions to balance out the oxygens. Do we have to add water to balance oxygens in basic conditions, or do we only add OH- to balance oxygen molecules?

[Michelle Song 1I]

For acidic reactions you add H+ to balance out the hydrogen atoms and in basic reactions you add OH- to then cancel out the H+ ions.

[AronCainBayot2K]

Redox in both acidic and basic solutions are very similar. It comes down to adding the H+ or OH- to acidic and basic equations respectively to determine what is being oxidized and reduced.

[Kaylee Clarke 1G]

the difference in acid or basic solutions is based on whether the situation calls for oxidation or reduction. In the case of reduction, the product will include a H+ but for oxidation it is OH-. the acronym OILRIG helps. oxidation is losing and reduction is gaining

[Andres Merlos 2L]

The main difference comes from how you balance the equation. For basic solutions, you would balance out the equation by adding hydroxide ions (OH-). For acidic solutions, you would balance out the equation by adding protons (H+).

[Dina Marchenko 2J]

For acidic reactions, we have to add water to the reduction and oxidation reactions to balance out the oxygens. Do we have to add water to balance oxygens in basic conditions, or do we only add OH- to balance oxygen molecules?

You use water to balance in both acidic and basic solutions. In both, you use water to balance the oxygens on each side. The difference:

in acidic solutions, you balance hydrogens with protons (H+)
in basic solutions, you balance hydrogens with water as well. If you need to add 2 hydrogens to the left side of a half reaction, you add 2 waters to the left and add 2 hydroxides (OH-) to the right. This cancels out one of the 2 hydrogens in a water molecule so that there is are 2 net hydrogens on the left.