Can you represent the oxidation of sulfite ion, $SO_3^(2-)$ , to give sulfate ion, $SO_4^(2-)$ , accompanied by the reduction of $Cu^(2+)$ to copper metal?

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Answer 1 · 2016-10-18T03:21:47

$SO_3^(2-) + Cu^(2+)+ 2HO^(-) rarr SO_4^(2-) +Cu(s) + H_2O(l)$

When basic conditions are specified, it is normally best to balance the equations in acid, and then modify the final equations.

$"Sulfur (IV+)"$ $rarr$ $"Sulfur(VI+)":$

$SO_3^(2-) + H_2Orarr SO_4^(2-) +2H^(+) + 2e^(-)$

For basic conditions, add $2xxHO^-$ to EACH side $(HO^(-) + H^(+)rarrH_2O)$ :

$SO_3^(2-) + 2HO^(-) rarr SO_4^(2-) +H_2O + 2e^(-)$

$"Copper (II+)"$ $rarr$ $"Copper (0)":$

$Cu^(2+) + 2e^(-) rarr Cu$

You have asked another such question recently. Do you follow the method of doing redox equations?

Can you represent the oxidation of sulfite ion, SO_3^(2-)SO_3^(2-), to give sulfate ion, SO_4^(2-)SO_4^(2-), accompanied by the reduction of Cu^(2+)Cu^(2+) to copper metal?