Chemistry question - chemical formulas

i understand oxidation and reduction but i dont understand why if you have something containing idk sodium why it them turns into a H or OH or something when you write the equation?

Reply 1

FishLover

Original post by aliciahaydenx

i understand oxidation and reduction but i dont understand why if you have something containing idk sodium why it them turns into a H or OH or something when you write the equation?

Could you please elaborate? Are you talking about electrolysis? Or are you talking about substances like NaOH being written as NaOH ------> Na+ + OH-.....

Reply 2

Puddles the Monkey

Original post by aliciahaydenx

i understand oxidation and reduction but i dont understand why if you have something containing idk sodium why it them turns into a H or OH or something when you write the equation?

Just going to pop this in maths for you :biggrin:

Reply 3

krisshP

Original post by Puddles the Monkey

Just going to pop this in maths for you :biggrin:

Put this in Chemistry instead! Trust me!

The thread's title suggest Maths, but the q is a out Chemistry. :confused:

Reply 4

Puddles the Monkey

Original post by krisshP

Put this in Chemistry instead! Trust me!

The thread's title suggest Maths, but the q is a out Chemistry. :confused:

Woops! I was not paying enough attention! Thanks! In chemistry now!

EDIT: PRSOM, I think this is the second time you've corrected me.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 5

krisshP

Original post by Puddles the Monkey

Woops! I was not paying enough attention! Thanks! In chemistry now!

OP wasn't paying attention really. Even the title's a mixture :s-smilie:

Reply 6

aliciahaydenx

Original post by krisshP

OP wasn't paying attention really. Even the title's a mixture :s-smilie:

Lol sorry should have been more clear! C3 is the title of my Edexcel Further Additional science exam! :smile:

Reply 7

ChrisC177

With a lot of chemical formulae when something like NaOH is the reagent, it will dissociate to give Na+ and OH-; when it is only the OH- that is involved in the reaction, the Na+ is then often simply not written in the formula, as it takes no part in the reaction. Not quite sure if that answers your question, though, it's hard to tell what you're really asking :P

Reply 8

rubyp97

Original post by aliciahaydenx

i understand oxidation and reduction but i dont understand why if you have something containing idk sodium why it them turns into a H or OH or something when you write the equation?

Alicia its because the sodium ions do not lose their electrons as readily at the anode, as Hydrogen ions lose their electrons more readily which are present in the solution.

Reply 9

jillifish

Original post by aliciahaydenx

i understand oxidation and reduction but i dont understand why if you have something containing idk sodium why it them turns into a H or OH or something when you write the equation?

the four ions you would find from the electrolysis of a sodium salt such as NaCl would be:
Na+ , Cl- , H+ and OH-.

the first two come from the sodium chloride electrolyte(brine), so it comes from the actual chemical you put in.

the second two comes from the water as it is the electrolysis of DILUTE sodium chloride. this means there was also water in the beaker and H+ and OH- comes from this water. hence, if you add them up you get H20. this molecule is seperated into two ions because the current has split it into two ions.