Balancing Redox Reactions

[FCMike11]

TBR introduces the half-cell method here. I never used this in gen chem, but always used the bridge method. Is there any practical use for me learning the half cell method?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[NextStepTutor_2]

Either method is effective but in reality, you will highly unlikely be required to balance redox on the MCAT. It's too time consuming to make a good question and as far as I know, it hasn't been asked in the past.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Both methods are fine and best of all can be applied backwards from the answer choices. It is often better to look at the answer choices and eliminate any that don't have charges correctly balanced or atoms correctly balanced and then using the bridge method quickly get the ratio of the reactants. That can be done in roughly 30 seconds.

Viable questions that could appear, and are found on the previous MCAT exams released by AAMC, include determining the ratio of oxidant to reductant (partial balancing) and determining the mass of a deposited metal at the cathode based on current, time, and an unbalanced redox reaction you needed to balance. You should also be cognoscente that determining the emf for a redox reaction does not require balancing.