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+ Inorganic chemistry
+ Oxidation
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Meja Meja

What is oxidizer and reducer in Fe4 + 3O2 → 2Fe2O3?

Dan G  Follow

Fe4 not http://exists.It may be 4Fe

The reaction will be as:

4Fe + 3O2 = 2Fe2O3

The oxidation number of reactant Fe and O2 are zero. On the other hand, the oxidation number of Fe and O in the product Fe2O3 are Fe3+ and O2–. Since the oxidation number of Fe is increased from 0 to +3, its a reducer and since the oxidation number of the O is decreased from 0 to -2,its an oxidizer.

Oxidation half reaction :

4Fe -12e = 4Fe3+

Reduction half reaction :

6O + 12e = 6O2-

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Ask Jadzie  Follow

“Fe4” is supposed to mean some molecular form of Fe, a metal. This is unknown.

On a more likely take, the reaction you are referring to is

4Fe + 3O₂ → 2Fe₂O₃

There is a huge difference between “Fe4” (an electrically neutral unit composed of four atoms of Fe, namely an “Fe4 molecule”) and “4Fe” (take four times whatever amount of elemental iron you have for that redox reaction to occur).

The reaction above, as said, occurs with a net exchange of electrons from a reducer (Fe) to an oxidiser (O₂). Four moles of iron get oxidised by three moles of oxygen to form two moles of iron (III) oxide. This is a redox reaction[1] that can be broken down into two “pieces”:

  • oxidation. Fe loses electrons to O₂. The corresponding half-reaction is Fe → Fe³⁺ + 3e¯;
  • reduction. O₂ picks up the electrons Fe lost. The corresponding half-reaction is O₂ + 4e¯ → 2O²¯.

If you work out the least common multiple between the electrons involved, you will also work out the overall stoichiometry of the above reaction.

Footnotes

[1] Redox - Wikipedia

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