How do we represent the oxidation of thiosulfate anion, #S_2O_3^(2-)# to tetrathionite, #S_4O_6^(2-)#...?

1 Answer
anor277
May 27, 2017

#"Thiosulfate to tetrathionite..........."#

#2S_2O_3^(2-) rarr S_4O_6^(2-)+2e^(-)# #;stackrel(II)Srarrstackrel(II*1/2)S#

Explanation:

I always considered #"thiosulfate dianion"#, #S_2O_3^(2-)#, to be the same as sulfate dianion, #SO_4^(2-)#, EXCEPT that one of the oxygen atoms has been replaced by congeneric sulfur. And this sulfur has PRECISELY the same oxidation state as the oxygen it replaces, i.e. #stackrel(-II)S#. The AVERAGE oxidation states is still.................................

#(S(-II)+S(+VI))/2=S(+II)#

Anyway, let's try to balance the beast.

#2S_2O_3^(2-) rarr stackrel()S_4O_6^(2-)+2e^(-)# #;stackrel(II)Srarrstackrel(II*1/2)S#

Do you agree that it is balanced with respect to mass and charge?

Related questions
See all questions in Balancing Chemical Equations
Impact of this question
1603 views around the world
You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License