Final answer:
The balanced half-reaction for the oxidation of gaseous arsine (AsH3) to aqueous arsenic acid (H3AsO4) in basic aqueous solution is AsH3(g) + 6OH- -> H3AsO4(aq) + 3H2O(l) + 6e-.
Step-by-step explanation:
The balanced half-reaction for the oxidation of gaseous arsine (AsH3) to aqueous arsenic acid (H3AsO4) in basic aqueous solution can be written as:AsH3(g) + 6OH- → H3AsO4(aq) + 3H2O(l) + 6e-
In this reaction, arsenic (As) undergoes oxidation from an oxidation state of -3 in arsine to +5 in arsenic acid. This requires the addition of six electrons on the left-hand side of the equation to balance the charge. The physical state symbols are included in the equation to indicate that arsine is a gas (g), arsenic acid is an aqueous solution (aq), and water is a liquid (l).