Question 4
Fluorine reacts with ice and results in the change:
H2O(s) + F2(g) → HF(g) + HOF(g)
Justify that this reaction is a redox reaction.
Let us write the oxidation number of each atom involved in the given reaction above its symbol as:
Here, we have observed that the oxidation number of F increases from 0 in F2 to +1 in HOF. Also, the oxidation number decreases from 0 in F2 to -1 in HF. Thus, in the above reaction, F is both oxidized and reduced. Hence, the given reaction is a redox reaction.
