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Edexcel International A Level Chemistry

Topic 8
Redox &
Groups 1, 2 and 7

Topic 8 brings together redox chemistry and the inorganic chemistry of the s-block and Group 7. Part 8A builds oxidation numbers, half-equations and disproportionation; 8B covers the trends and reactions of Groups 1 and 2, their compounds, tests for ions and titrations; 8C covers the halogens as oxidising agents, the disproportionation reactions of chlorine and the halide ions. All of it is examined in Unit 2 and assessed practically through Core Practicals 3 and 4.

Exam Unit
Unit 2
WCH12/01 – IAS
Specification Points
8.1 – 8.28
28 points covered
Sub-topics
3 lessons
15 revision pages
Exam Board
Edexcel IAL
Pearson International

Revision Notes

3 revision notes, in the order the specification teaches them.

Electrons moving from one particle to another
1

Topic 8A Redox Chemistry

Oxidation numbers and their rules, electron transfer and half-equations, disproportionation, and classifying unfamiliar reactions as redox.

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A metal ribbon burning in tongs
2

Topic 8B Groups 1 and 2

Trends down the s-block, reactions of the elements and their compounds, solubility and thermal stability, flame colours, tests for ions, titrations and uncertainty.

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Three jars of halogens: gas, liquid and solid
3

Topic 8C Group 7

Trends in the halogens, displacement and oxidising power, the disproportionation reactions of chlorine, and the halide ions as reducing agents with their tests.

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Specification

Every specification point in this topic, in the exam board's own words. Rate how confident you are with each one.

Official Pearson Edexcel IAL documentsSpecification (opens the Pearson Edexcel IAL website in a new tab)Data booklet (opens the Pearson Edexcel IAL website in a new tab)

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8.1

  1. a

    know what is meant by the term 'oxidation number'

    Revise
  2. b

    understand the rules for assigning oxidation numbers

    Revise

8.2

  1. a

    be able to calculate oxidation numbers of elements in compounds

    Revise
  2. b

    be able to calculate oxidation numbers of elements in ions

    Revise
  3. c

    be able to calculate oxidation numbers of elements in peroxides

    Revise
  4. d

    be able to calculate oxidation numbers of elements in metal hydrides

    Revise

8.3

  1. 8.3

    be able to indicate the oxidation number of an element in a compound or an ion, using a Roman numeral

    Revise

8.4

  1. 8.4

    be able to write formulae given oxidation numbers

    Revise

8.5

  1. a

    understand oxidation in terms of electron transfer

    Revise
  2. b

    understand reduction in terms of electron transfer

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  3. c

    understand oxidation in terms of changes in oxidation number

    Revise
  4. d

    understand reduction in terms of changes in oxidation number

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  5. e

    apply oxidation and reduction ideas to reactions of s-block elements

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  6. f

    apply oxidation and reduction ideas to reactions of p-block elements

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8.6

  1. a

    know that oxidising agents gain electrons

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  2. b

    know that reducing agents lose electrons

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8.7

  1. a

    understand that a disproportionation reaction involves an element in a single species being oxidised

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  2. b

    understand that a disproportionation reaction involves an element in a single species being reduced simultaneously

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8.8

  1. a

    know that oxidation number is useful for classifying reactions as redox

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  2. b

    know that oxidation number is useful for classifying reactions as disproportionation

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8.9

  1. a

    understand that metals generally form positive ions by loss of electrons with an increase in oxidation number

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  2. a i

    understand that metals generally form positive ions by loss of electrons

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  3. a ii

    understand that formation of metal positive ions involves an increase in oxidation number

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  4. b

    understand that non-metals generally form negative ions by gain of electrons with a decrease in oxidation number

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  5. b i

    understand that non-metals generally form negative ions by gain of electrons

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  6. b ii

    understand that formation of non-metal negative ions involves a decrease in oxidation number

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8.10

  1. a

    be able to write ionic half-equations

    Revise
  2. b

    be able to use ionic half-equations to construct full ionic equations

    Revise

8.11

  1. 8.11

    understand reasons for the trend in ionisation energy down Groups 1 and 2

    Revise

8.12

  1. a

    understand reasons for the trend in reactivity down Group 1 from Li to K

    Revise
  2. b

    understand reasons for the trend in reactivity down Group 2 from Mg to Ba

    Revise

8.13

  1. a

    know the reactions of Group 1 elements Li to K with oxygen

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  2. b

    know the reactions of Group 1 elements Li to K with chlorine

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  3. c

    know the reactions of Group 1 elements Li to K with water

    Revise
  4. d

    know the reactions of Group 2 elements Mg to Ba with oxygen

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  5. e

    know the reactions of Group 2 elements Mg to Ba with chlorine

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  6. f

    know the reactions of Group 2 elements Mg to Ba with water

    Revise

8.14

  1. i

    know the reactions of: oxides of Group 1 and 2 elements with water and dilute acid

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  2. ii

    know the reactions of: hydroxides of Group 1 and 2 elements with dilute acid

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8.15

  1. a

    know the trends in solubility of Group 2 hydroxides

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  2. b

    know the trends in solubility of Group 2 sulfates

    Revise

8.16

  1. a

    understand reasons for trends in thermal stability of Group 1 nitrates in terms of cation size and charge

    Revise
  2. b

    understand reasons for trends in thermal stability of Group 2 nitrates in terms of cation size and charge

    Revise
  3. c

    understand reasons for trends in thermal stability of Group 1 carbonates in terms of cation size and charge

    Revise
  4. d

    understand reasons for trends in thermal stability of Group 2 carbonates in terms of cation size and charge

    Revise

8.17

  1. a

    understand formation of characteristic flame colours by Group 1 compounds in terms of electron transitions

    Revise
  2. b

    understand formation of characteristic flame colours by Group 2 compounds in terms of electron transitions

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  3. c

    know the flame colours for Group 1 compounds

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  4. d

    know the flame colours for Group 2 compounds

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8.18

  1. i

    know experimental procedures to show: patterns in the thermal decomposition of Group 1 and 2 nitrates and carbonates Students will be expected to know tests for carbon dioxide and oxygen; and to recognise nitrogen dioxide by its colour and acidic pH.

    Revise
  2. ii

    know experimental procedures to show: flame colours in compounds of Group 1 and 2 elements

    Revise

8.19

  1. i

    know reactions, including ionic equations where appropriate, for identifying: carbonate ions, CO3 2-, and hydrogencarbonate ions, HCO3 - , using an aqueous acid to form carbon dioxide (and testing the gas with limewater)

    Revise
  2. ii

    know reactions, including ionic equations where appropriate, for identifying: sulfate ions, SO42-, using acidified barium chloride solution

    Revise
  3. iii

    know reactions, including ionic equations where appropriate, for identifying: ammonium ions, NH4 +, using sodium hydroxide solution and warming to form ammonia (and testing with litmus and HCl fumes)

    Revise

8.20

  1. 8.20

    be able to calculate solution concentrations, in mol dm-3 and g dm-3, including simple acid-base titrations using the indicators methyl orange and phenolphthalein

    Revise

8.21

  1. 8.21

    CORE PRACTICAL 3 Finding the concentration of a solution of hydrochloric acid.

8.22

  1. 8.22

    understand how to minimise the sources of measurement uncertainty in volumetric analysis and estimate the overall uncertainty in the calculated result

    Revise

8.23

  1. 8.23

    CORE PRACTICAL 4 Preparation of a standard solution from a solid acid and use it to find the concentration of a solution of sodium hydroxide.

8.24

  1. i

    understand reasons for the trends for Group 7 elements in: melting and boiling temperatures and physical state at room temperature

    Revise
  2. ii

    understand reasons for the trends for Group 7 elements in: electronegativity

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  3. iii

    understand reasons for the trends for Group 7 elements in: reactivity down the group

    Revise

8.25

  1. a

    understand the trend in reactivity of Group 7 elements in terms of redox reactions of Cl2 with halide ions in aqueous solution

    Revise
  2. b

    understand the trend in reactivity of Group 7 elements in terms of redox reactions of Br2 with halide ions in aqueous solution

    Revise
  3. c

    understand the trend in reactivity of Group 7 elements in terms of redox reactions of I2 with halide ions in aqueous solution

    Revise
  4. d

    know the colours of Group 7 elements in standard conditions

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  5. e

    know the colours of Group 7 elements in aqueous solution

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  6. f

    know the colours of Group 7 elements in a non-polar organic solvent

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8.26

  1. i

    understand, in terms of changes in oxidation number, the following reactions of the halogens: oxidation reactions with Group 1 and 2 metals

    Revise
  2. ii

    understand, in terms of changes in oxidation number, the following reactions of the halogens: the disproportionation reaction of chlorine with water and the use of chlorine in water treatment

    Revise
  3. iii

    understand, in terms of changes in oxidation number, the following reactions of the halogens: the disproportionation reaction of chlorine with cold, dilute aqueous sodium hydroxide to form bleach

    Revise
  4. iv

    understand, in terms of changes in oxidation number, the following reactions of the halogens: the disproportionation reaction of chlorine with hot alkali

    Revise
  5. v

    understand, in terms of changes in oxidation number, the following reactions of the halogens: reactions analogous to those specified above

    Revise

8.27

  1. i

    understand the following reactions: solid Group 1 halides with concentrated sulfuric acid, to illustrate the trend in reducing ability of the hydrogen halides

    Revise
  2. ii

    understand the following reactions: precipitation reactions of the aqueous anions Cl-, Br- and I- with aqueous silver nitrate solution and nitric acid, and the solubility of the precipitates in aqueous ammonia solution

    Revise
  3. iii

    understand the following reactions: hydrogen halides with ammonia gas (to produce ammonium halides) and with water (to produce acids)

    Revise

8.28

  1. a

    be able to make predictions about fluorine and its compounds using knowledge of trends in halogen chemistry

    Revise
  2. b

    be able to make predictions about astatine and its compounds using knowledge of trends in halogen chemistry

    Revise