Who coined the word redox and when did they do it?
Leonor Michaelis and Louis B. Flexner coined the word redox in 1928. They compressed the terms reduction and oxidation into a single phrase to describe the movement of electrons between substances.
Common questions about Redox
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What is the definition of a redox reaction in chemistry?
A redox reaction is a chemical process where electrons move from one substance to another, causing changes in oxidation states. This involves oxidation where a substance loses electrons and reduction where another substance gains those electrons simultaneously.
How does the redox reaction between hydrogen and fluorine release energy?
The reaction between hydrogen and fluorine releases 542 kilojoules of energy for every two grams of hydrogen consumed. This energy occurs because the bonds formed between hydrogen and fluorine are significantly stronger than the bonds broken in the original molecules.
What is the standard electrode potential of fluorine and zinc?
Fluorine holds the highest standard electrode potential at 2.866 volts while zinc sits at negative 0.763 volts. These values quantify the tendency of a substance to gain electrons and allow scientists to predict the direction of a reaction.
How does redox chemistry support life through cellular respiration?
In aerobic cellular respiration glucose is oxidized to produce carbon dioxide and water while oxygen is reduced to form water. This process relies on the reduction of NAD+ to NADH which acts as an electron carrier to generate adenosine triphosphate.
How are redox reactions used in industrial metal extraction?
In blast furnaces iron oxides are reduced by carbon or carbon monoxide to produce molten iron. Electroplating uses redox reactions to coat objects with thin layers of chrome silver or gold to protect them from corrosion.