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The lithium-iodine battery is used in pacemakers to generate small electrical impulses that trigger the heart to beat according to the following equation. Identify

the species oxidized.
2 Li(s) + I2 (s) → 2 Lil(aq)

1 Answer

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Answer:

The species that oxidizes is lithium, or Li

Step-by-step explanation:

Since I2 is know to be a halogen, and halogens are oxidizers, iodine is probably not the species being oxidized. So, Li is being oxidized.


Another way to look at the problem is to assign oxidation numbers to all elements on the right and left

The left:
lithium = 0
iodine = 0
Both are 0 since they are in their most stable elemental states

The right:
lithium : +1
Iodine: -1

When something looses an electron and becomes more positive, it is oxidized. Lithium goes from 0 to 1, clearly displaying a rise in oxidization state. So, lithium is being oxidized.

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