ballancing redox chemistry

SomeCallMeTim? · 01-26-2007, 12:46 AM

for some reason i cant seem to ballance the neutralisation of sulfuric acid with the permanganate ion....
MnO4(-) + H2SO4 -----> Mn(+2) + SO4(-2)

...manganese is reduced by 5 and sulfur is oxidised by 1. so you ballance that, and add 4 H2Os to the products to ballance the oxygens... and add to hydrogen ions to the products to ballance the hydrogens... but then the charges dont add up...

SomeCallMeTim? · 01-26-2007, 01:00 AM

oh dang. H2SO4, HSO4(-) and SO4(-2).... the suflur doesnt change oxidation states.... so what is being oxidised?

Katze · 01-26-2007, 01:20 PM

Your first equation isn't ballanced, so it's really hard to tell what you're trying to do. If you could clarify that, it would be eaiser to help you.

nate95366 · 02-07-2007, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SomeCallMeTim

manganese is reduced by 5 and sulfur is oxidised by 1.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SomeCallMeTim

oh dang. H2SO4, HSO4(-) and SO4(-2).... the suflur doesnt change oxidation states.... so what is being oxidised?

This might be the cause of your problem, and of Katze's frustration. Sulfur does not appear to be oxidized at all. In H2SO4, its oxidation state is +6, same as with the sulfate anion.

Yet, in order for manganese to be reduced, something has to be oxidized. My guess is that you're not showing us enough of the original chemical equation...could you show us more?

Nate

SomeCallMeTim? · 02-10-2007, 02:54 PM

MnO4(-) + H2SO4 -----> Mn(+2) + SO4(-2)

that is all there is. i needed to ballance that.

Soap · 02-10-2007, 04:10 PM

Ah, the joys of chemistry. Are you in AP? If so, I point and I laugh. Bwahaha!

BTW, Carol deserved it. (if you dont know what that means, look at the posters in your chemistry classroom/lab).

SomeCallMeTim? · 02-10-2007, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoapbarII

Ah, the joys of chemistry. Are you in AP? If so, I point and I laugh. Bwahaha!

BTW, Carol deserved it. (if you dont know what that means, look at the posters in your chemistry classroom/lab).

...AP? huh?

i go to a university in Canada. that was something i wanted to get done for a lab. we were given the ballanced one i think, but i wanted to do it myself... but i couldnt pull it off. for whatever reason.