What element is oxidized? So hard. Help me out.

Question

The burning of a propane torch is an example of a redox reaction.

C3H8 5O2 --> 3CO2 4H2O

a. What element is oxidized?

b. What element is reduced?

c. What bonding characteristics of carbon make it difficult to assign oxidation numbers to carbon in an organic compound?

Answer 1

What makes this difficult is the thing mentioned in question c.  The easiest way is to look at the structure of propane.  The center C has 2 Hs attached.  These two Hs hav an oxidation number of +1 each, which makes that center C have an oxidation number of -2.  By the same note, the two end carbons will have oxidation number -3.

These carbons will be oxidized to +4 in CO2.  This means that oxygen has been reduced from oxidation number 0 to -2 in CO2.  Oxygen is also found to be reduced from 0 to -2 inH2O.

The answer to question c is that carbon has an unusual ability t bond to oether carbons.  This usually results i the fact that all the carbons do not have the same oxidation number, depending on what else they are bonded to.

I hope this will help clarify things for you.

Answer 2

If the element gains electrons it becomes more negatively charged or reduced. If it loses electrons it becomes less negetively charged(oxydized). Thats how I keep it straight.  

Answer 3

Remember leo and ger, loss of electrons = oxidation, (leo)

Gain of electron = reduction (ger)

oxygen goes from 0 to -2, in order to do that it must gain electrons (negative), therefore oxygen is reduced

carbon loses electrons (becomes more +)

carbon forms covalent bonds, which is sharing of electrons between carbons making it more difficult to assign an oxidation state.