Question

When zinc metal reacts with oxygen gas, 2Zn(s) + O2(g) → 2ZnO(g), large amounts of light and heat are released. A student states that this reaction is a combustion reaction but not a redox reaction. Do you agree? Defend your answer by explaining whether or not it meets the requirements of each type of reaction.

please don't copy and paste the same answer from the other guy.

Answer 1

It is a redox reaction.

Step-by-step explanation:

I would only partially agree the student. In a redox reaction, the oxidation states of compounds change with at least one atom going up in oxidation state and at least one atom going down in oxidation state. Zinc originally has an oxidation state of 0, and it changes to +2 in ZnO. Oxygen originally has an oxidation state of 0, and it changes to -2 in ZnO. Zinc has gone up in oxidation state while oxygen has gone down, so this is a redox reaction. The student is correct by saying that it is a combustion reaction, but incorrect by claiming that it is not a redox reaction. All combustion reactions are redox reactions because in the process of combustion, an oxidant is reduced and a fuel is oxidized.