How Do You Balance Complex Redox Reactions?

[erjkism]

Balancing a Redox Reaction.. urgent

I have an assingment that is due tomorrow for my college chemistry class and i am stuck on the last problem. I need to balance the following redox reaction, but everytime i try it doesn't balance...

H2O +I2 + OCl- ? IO3- + Cl- + H3O

when i split it up into the half reactions i get
I2 + 6H20 ? 2IO3- + 10e- + 12H+
OCl- + 2e- + 2H+ ? Cl- + H2O
which adds up to be this

5OCl- + I2 + 2H+ + $H2O ? 2Cl- + 2IO3 + 12H+

i don't get why it doesn't work. can someone show me what to do?? i have already searched the internet for tutorials, and i think i am doing everything correct.

 

[erjkism]

OH yea the question mark (?) is supposed to be an arrow

 

[Blueshift5]

Balancing redox reactions can be a challenging task, but it is important to follow a systematic approach to ensure an accurate and balanced equation. In this reaction, we have two half reactions that need to be balanced separately and then combined to form the overall balanced equation.

First, let's look at the reduction half reaction, which involves the reduction of iodine (I2) to iodate (IO3-). The number of electrons on the reactant side (10e-) should match the number of electrons on the product side. To balance the electrons, we can multiply the oxidation half reaction by 5, giving us:

5I2 + 30H2O ? 10IO3- + 50e- + 60H+

Next, let's focus on the oxidation half reaction, which involves the oxidation of hypochlorite (OCl-) to chloride (Cl-). Here, we have 2 electrons on the product side, so we can balance this by multiplying the reduction half reaction by 2, giving us:

2OCl- + 4e- + 4H+ ? 2Cl- + 2H2O

Now, we can combine these two half reactions to form the overall balanced equation. Notice that the electrons cancel out, leaving us with the following balanced equation:

5I2 + 2OCl- + 30H2O ? 10IO3- + 2Cl- + 60H+

Remember to always check that the number of atoms and charges are balanced on both sides of the equation. If they are not, you may need to adjust the coefficients of the reactants and products until the equation is balanced.

I hope this helps you understand the process of balancing redox reactions. It may take some practice, but with the right approach, you will be able to balance any redox reaction with confidence. Best of luck with your assignment!