Lab #7 

Date: 25/03/2021

Title: Reducing and Oxidizing agents.

Aim: To determine which of the 4 unknown solutions labeled A.B,C and D are
oxidizing or reducing agents.

Apparatus: beaker, 4 measuring cylinders, dropper, 4 test tubes, test tube rack.

Materials: distilled water, acidified potassium dichromate (VI) (K2Cr2O7/H+),

acidified potassium permanganate (KMnO4/H+), potassium iodide solution (KI),
iron (II) sulfate solution (FeSO4), 4 unknown solutions A,B,C and D, dilute
sulfuric acid (H2SO4).

Theory:

Redox reactions are oxidation-reduction chemical reactions in which one reagent is

reduced, i.e, it gains electrons and the other is oxidized, i.e, it loses electrons. In
redox reactions the reactants involved can either be an oxidizing agent or a
reducing agent. A reducing agent is the reactant which brings about the reduction
of the other reactant involved, by causing a decrease in oxidation number and an
increase in number of electrons, and becomes oxidized itself. An oxidizing agent is
the reactant which brings about the oxidation of the other reactant involved, by
causing an increase in oxidation number and a decrease in the number of electrons,
and becomes reduced itself. In every redox reaction, both oxidation and reduction
occurs, i.e, for every oxidation reaction there is a reduction reaction. There are 4
ways in which the oxidation or reduction of a reactant can be determined. These
include:

1. Gain or loss of Hydrogen

2. Gain or loss of Oxygen
3. Gain or loss of electrons
4. Increase or decrease in oxidation number.

When performing their functions, there are certain changes that reducing agents
and oxidizing agents undergo. Reducing agents, which are oxidized, undergo a loss
of hydrogen, the gain of oxygen, the loss of number of electrons and an increase in
oxidation number, while oxidizing agents, which are reduced, undergo the gain of
hydrogen, the loss of oxygen, a gain in the number of electrons and a decrease in
its oxidation number. Some examples of oxidizing agents are acidified potassium
permanganate solution (KMnO4/H+), acidified potassium dichromate solution
(K2Cr2O7/H+) and acidified hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Some examples of reducing
agents are potassium iodide solution (KI), iron (II) sulfate solution (FeSO4) and
Concentrated hydrochloric acid (HCl)

Procedure:

1. A row of 4 test tubes were set up

2. 1cm3 of solution A was added to the 4 test tubes.
3. The respective reagents were added drop by drop to the respective test tubes.
4. All reactions were observed and results were recorded.
5. Steps 1-4 were repeated for the solutions B,C and D.
Diagram:

Diagram showing the setup of apparatus used for this experiment.

Table of Results:

Table of results showing the observations and inferences made for each solution,
A,B,C and D when 4 different reagents were added to them.

Solution Reagents Inference

K2Cr2O7/H+ KMnO4/H+ KI FeSO4
A Orange to green Purple to Solution Solution Reducing
colourless remained Remained Agent.
Colourless. pale green.
(no colour (no colour
change seen) change seen)

B Solution Solution Solution Solution Neither

Remained Orange. Remained remained remained pale Reducing
(no colour change purple. Colourless. green. (No agent or
seen) (no colour (no colour colour change Oxidising
change seen) change seen) seen) agent.
C Solution remained Solution Colourless to Pale green to
orange. remained brown. yellow- Oxidising
(No colour change purple. (No brown. agent.
seen) colour change
seen)
D Orange to blue to Purple to Colourless to Pale green to Both a
emerald green colourless orange-brown brown reducing
agent and an
oxidizing
agent.

Discussion:

An oxidizing agent is a substance which oxidizes another substance by increasing

its oxidation number and number of electrons, whereas a reducing agent is a
substance which reduced another substance by decreasing its oxidation number and
number of electrons. In this experiment, 4 different reagents were added to 4
different, unknown substances, to test whether they were to be categorized as a
reducing agent or an oxidizing agent.

Firstly the reagent, potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7/H+) was added to all 4 solutions,
A,B,C and D. Potassium dichromate is commonly known as an oxidizing agent and
is usually used to test for the presence of a reducing agent, hence, it becomes
reduced. The use of this reagent was helpful in determining whether the 4
unknown reagents were oxidizing agents or reducing agents, by observing colour
changes within the solutions.

When this reagent was added to solution A, there was a colour change from orange
to green. This indicates that the potassium dichromate was reduced from the
orange dichromate ( Cr2O72- ) ion to the green chromium (Cr3+) ion. This reduction
reaction also caused the decrease in oxidation number from +7 to-3.

The equation for the above reaction is as follows:

Cr2O72- (aq)  2 Cr3+(aq)

Therefore, solution A was found to be reducing agent in this reaction.

When the potassium dichromate ion was added to the solutions B and C, the
solutions remained an orange colour, indicating that no change occurred and that
solution B and C were not reducing agents.

Lastly, when potassium dichromate was added to the solution D, there was a colour
change from orange to blue and then finally to a dark green. This indicates that
there was a reduction of potassium dichromate from the orange dichromate
( Cr2O72- ) ion to green chromium (Cr3+) ion. This reduction reaction also caused the
decrease in oxidation number from +7 to -3. However, unlike solution A, solution
D appeared to be a darker shade of green, implying that there was a high amount of
chromium ions present in the solution after the reduction reaction took place.

The reduction of the dichromate ion is as follows:

Cr2O72- (aq)  2 Cr3+(aq)

Therefore, reagent D was found to be a reducing agent.

The second reagent added to solutions A,B,C and D was potassium permanganate
solution. Potassium permanganate is commonly known as an oxidizing agent and
is usually used to test for the presence of a reducing agent, hence it becomes
reduced. The use of this reagent was helpful in determining whether the 4
unknown reagents were either oxidizing agents or reducing agents, by observing
colour changes within the solutions.

Firstly, when this reagent was added to solution A, there was a colour change from
purple to colourless, this indicated that the purple manganate (MnO4-) ions were
reduced to colourless manganese(II) (Mn2+) ions. This reduction reaction also
caused a decrease in oxidation number from +7 to +2.

The equation for the above reaction is as follows:

MnO4-(aq)  Mn2+(aq)

Therefore, the reagent A was once again found to be a reducing agent.

When the Potassium permanganate was added to solution B and C, the solutions
both remained its initial colour, indicating that no change occurred. Therefore
solution B and C were not found to be reducing agents.

Lastly, when the Potassium permanganate was added to solution D, there was a
colour change from purple to colourless just as observed in solution A. This
indicated that the purple manganate (MnO4-) ions were reduced to colourless
manganese(II) (Mn2+) ion. The oxidation number was also reduced from +7 to +2.

The reduction of the manganate ion is shown in the equation below:

MnO4-(aq)  Mn2+(aq)

The third reagent added to all unknown solutions, was potassium iodide (KI).
Potassium iodide is commonly known as a reducing agent, and is usually used to
test for the presence of oxidizing agents in solution, hence it is oxidized. The use of
this reagent was helpful in determining whether the 4 unknown reagents were
either oxidizing agents or reducing agents, by observing colour changes within the
solutions.

Firstly, when this reagent was added to the solution A and B, the solution remained
colourless, indicating that there no change occurred, and that neither solution was
an oxidizing agent.

When the potassium iodide was added to solutions C there was a colour change
from colourless to brown and in solution D, there was a colour change from
colourless to orange-brown. This colour change in both solutions, indicated that the
potassium iodide was oxidized from the colourless iodide (I-) ion to brown iodine
(I2). This reaction also caused an increase in oxidation number from -1 to 0.

The equation for the above reactions is as follows:

2I-(aq)  I2 (aq) + 2e-

Therefore, solutions C and D were found to be oxidizing agents.

The final reagent added to all unknown solutions, was iron sulate,(FeSO4). Iron
sulfate is commonly known as a reducing agent and is usually used to test for the
presence of an oxidizing agent present in solution, hence it is oxidized. The use of
this reagent was helpful in determining whether the 4 unknown reagents were
either oxidizing agents or reducing agents, by observing colour changes within the
solutions.

Firstly, when the reagent was added to solution A and B, both solutions remained
the initial pale green colour, indicating that no change occurred and that neither
solution A or B was an oxidizing agent.

Lastly, when the reagent was added to solution C, there was a colour change from
pale green to yellow-brown and in solution D, there was a colour change from pale
green to brown. The colour change in both solutions indicated that the iron sulfate
was oxidized from the colourless iron(II) (Fe2+) to the brown iron(III) (Fe3+). This
reaction also caused an increase in oxidation number from +2 to +3.

The equation for the above reaction are shown below:

Fe2+(aq)  Fe3+(aq) + e-

Therefore:

Solution A: Is a reducing agent which reduced both dichromate and manganate

ions when reacting with the reagents K2Cr2O7/H+ and KMnO4/H+ respectively.
Solution B: Is neither a reducing or oxidizing agent due to no change occurring
when reacting with all four reagents, K2Cr2O7/H+, KMnO4/H+ , KI and FeSO4
respectively.

Solution C: Is an oxidizing agent which oxidized both iodide and iron ions when
reacting with the reagents KI and FeSO4 respectively.

Solution D: Is both a reducing and oxidizing agent as it reacted with all four
reagents, K2Cr2O7/H+, KMnO4/H+ , KI and FeSO4 respectively.

Precautions:

1. All measurements were taken at eye level to avoid parallax error.

2. All apparatus was washed thoroughly with distilled water to remove any
impurities which could have resulted in faulty results.
3. Protective wear such as goggles and lab coats were worn by students to
avoid any contact with hazardous chemicals.

Sources of Error:

1. Colour change in solutions were subjective and could have been interpreted
differently by students as white tile was not used.
2. A transcriptional error occurred, as some of the results taken from
experiment, was written incorrectly.

Assumptions:

1. Reagents used contained no impurities.

Reflection:

In this lab, I have learnt how to properly test for reducing or oxidizing agents in
different chemical substances by using apparatus and observing colour changes.
The use of oxidizing agents and reducing agents are used in many industries. For
example, chlorine which is an oxidizing agent, is used in the production of
bleaching products where as carbon and hydrogen gas, which are reducing agents
are used as antioxidants in the body to reduce the nitrite ion (NO2-) to nitric oxide
(NO).

Conclusion:

Upon observations and analysis made on the experiment executed, the following
conclusions can be made:

Solution A: A reducing agent

Solution B: Neither a reducing agent nor an Oxidizing agent

Solution C: An oxidizing agent

Solution D: Both a reducing and oxidizing agent