redox intro
The subject of this module is "REDOX-reactions", where REDOX is an abbreviation of:
RED from REDuctor, a reducing agent
OX from OXidator, an oxydising agent
In every redox reaction, those two are the most important participants.
In a redox reaction always react an oxidator and a reductor
attention:
Simultanously a new oxidator and a new reductor are made
You should be able (in a class room?) to mix some iron powder and sulfur powder in a test tube and then, carefully heat the mixture above a burner flame.
First you see the sulfur melt and mix with the ironpowder --> it seems te become a black and liquid mixture, but soon the real reaction starts.
It start even to glow; lots of energy are released.
The result - after cooling you can hold it - is a hard, shapeless substance, black colour
and it doesn't look like iron or sulfur anymore.
Here we have an example of a redox reaction with iron as the reductor and sulfur as the oxidator.
What exactly happened?
A short remembrance to the chemical concepts that you will need:
Redox has everything to do with electrons, mostly the valency electrons of certain atoms.
What about that donation or capturing of electrons?
Do you still know:
All particles (atoms, molecules, ions) always contain electrons.
Question 1
Describe exactly what happens when two particles meet, and one will donate and the other will capture electrons.