Question #b2056

2 Answers
David Drayer
Apr 8, 2017

The Chlorine is the oxidizing agent. The Bromine is the reducing agent.

Explanation:

#2 Na^+Br^-1 + Cl_2^o = 2 Na^+Cl^- + Br_2^o#

Cl goes from a zero charge to a -1 charge The chlorine has been reduced its charge has gone down.

Br goes from -1 to a zero charge. The Bromine has been oxidized it charge has gone up

anor277
Apr 8, 2017

#NaBr(s) + 1/2Cl_2(g) rarr NaCl(s) + 1/2Br_2(l)#, and this is a stoichiometrically balanced equation.

Explanation:

And if we assign oxidation numbers, we can immediately see the direction of electron transfer:

#stackrel(+I)(Na)stackrel(-I)(Br)(s) + 1/2stackrel(0)Cl_2(g) rarr stackrel(+I)(Na)stackrel(-I)(Cl)(s) + 1/2stackrel(0)Br_2#

Bromide ion has been oxidized; chlorine gas has been reduced. Note (i) that you simply must know that the halogens are normally bimolecular; we represent them as #X_2#.

Also note (ii) that we probably could not get this reaction to work, even if thermodynamics is on our side.

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