Can you represent the reduction of tellurite ion, #TeO_3^(2-)#, to tellurium metal by the oxidation of iodide ion?

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Answer 1 · 2017-05-15T04:21:40

Iodide anion is oxidized to iodine...........

#I^(-) rarr1/2I_2(s) + e^-# #(i)#

#I^(-) rarr1/2I_2(s) + e^-# #(i)#

Tellurite ion is reduced to tellurium metal...........

#TeO_3^(2-) +6H^+ + 4e^(-) rarr stackrel(0)Te + 3H_2O# #(ii)#

Mass and charge are balanced in each instance. And so we take #4xx(i)+(ii):#

#TeO_3^(2-) +4I^(-) +6H^(+)rarr Te + 2I_2 + 3H_2O #

Which is balanced with respect to mass and charge. Whether it represents an actual chemical reaction, I don't know...........