Oxidation Potential

Now let's turn our attention to how readily or easily chemicals gain and lose electrons. There are a number of ways this can be done.

One can look at how the position of elements on the periodic table influences how easily atoms will gain or lose electrons. This will help you relate these properties to atomic structure. One can also do experimental testing of elements and ions to see how readily they react with one another. You will do this in your lab work for this lesson. The ability of chemicals to gain and lose electrons can be quantified using a list of standard oxidation potentials. You will use such a list to determine which chemicals will spontaneously react with one another, which will react only if they are forced to do so, and what voltages can be generated by combinations of chemicals in voltaic cells.

These different approaches can be taken in any order, but I recommend the order in which they have been listed. In that order you can build a sense of why the elements are found where they are on the list.

Top of Page

Back to Course Homepage

Distance Learning questions