Question

Balance the following redox reaction in an acid solution, using the half-reaction method.

BrO₃- (aq) + NO₂(aq) -> Br-(aq) + NO₃-(aq)

Answer 1

To balance the redox reaction BrO₃⁻ (aq) + NO₂(aq) → Br⁻(aq) + NO₃⁻(aq) in an acidic solution, the half-reaction method is used. Separate oxidation and reduction reactions are balanced for mass and charge, then combined to achieve the overall balanced equation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The subject of this question is the balancing of a redox reaction in an acidic solution using the half-reaction method. The given redox reaction is BrO₃⁻ (aq) + NO₂(aq) → Br⁻(aq) + NO₃⁻(aq). To balance this, we need to separate the oxidation and reduction processes, balance each half-reaction for mass and charge, and then combine them back to get the overall balanced equation.

1. Write the two half-reactions:
2. Balance all atoms except for hydrogen and oxygen.
3. Balance oxygen atoms by adding H₂O.
4. Balance hydrogen atoms by adding H⁻.
5. Balance the charges by adding electrons.
6. Combine the half-reactions, ensuring that the electrons cancel out.

After following through these steps, you will have the balanced redox reaction for the given chemical equation in an acidic solution.