By using the data in Appendix E, determine whether each of the following substances is likely to serve as an oxidant or a reductant: (b) MnO4- (aq, acidic solution),

Video transcript

Hey everyone today, we're being asked to use the standard reduction potential of B. I. O plus in an adequate solution. To determine whether or not into the reducing or oxidizing agent. Now to do this, we need to utilize the reduction half reaction for B. I. O. Plus. And and this is a experimentally calculated and tested reaction and we'll have a specific reduction potential attached to it. So let's write out the actual full reduction half reaction. We'll have B I. O plus plus H. Plus specifically to H plus plus three electrons, which will form solid bismuth and liquid water. Keep in mind that the uh B. I. O. And the H plus ions are both Aquarius And we'll end up having a reduction potential of positive 0.32V. This can be found online or in a textbook, but it is a standard value for this reaction. With this half reaction here though, we can go ahead and do two different ways of actually finding out whether or not the IO is reducing and oxidizing agent. The proper way is to take a look at the reduction or sorry, oxidation numbers of bismuth before and after the reaction is preceded. So let's do that First. We have B. I. Bismuth and oxygen. Now, we know in our rules in our oxidation rules that when oxygen is bonded to something aside from in the hydrogen peroxide or bonded to flooring, It'll have an oxidation number of negative two of negative two. Now be IO is a positively charged ion. So to find out in order to make this ion have a positive charge, bismuth needs to have a plus three charge because then the some of the oxidation numbers will then be plus one will equal plus one. So by smith goes from having a charge of three plus to actually having a charge of zero and oxidation state of zero. My bad as I saw it, it goes as an oxidation state of zero because this is its natural state. So this means that bismuth is being reduced. Its gaining electrons, it's gaining three electrons Plus - to go from an oxidation state of plus 3-0. And we can see this in the reaction itself, there's three electrons as reactant. So since this is being reduced, that also means that B. I. O. And therefore bismuth and therefore be IO plus is an oxidizing agent, oxidizing agent because it reduced because it gets reduced and it aids the reduction of H plus, it's an oxidizing agent the other way And the albeit simpler way to do this is if the substance on the left of a reduction half reaction will be or sorry, the substance on the left side of a reduction half reaction will be an oxidant or an oxidizing agent. If it's on the right side, it will be a reducing agent and we can see that here it is on the left side is on the reactant side of the staff reaction, which makes this a oxidizing agent. I hope this helps. And I look forward to seeing you all in the next one.