This is an oxidation-reduction (redox) reaction:
Cu0 - 2 e- → CuII (oxidation)
O0 + 2 e- → O-II (reduction)
Cu is a reducing agent, O is an oxidizing agent
Word equation
copper + oxygen → cupric oxide
Input interpretation
Cu + O2 → Cuo
copper oxygen cupric oxide
Balanced equation
Balance the chemical equation algebraically:
Cu + O2 → CuO
Add stoichiometric coefficients, c, to the reactants and products:
c1 Cu + c2 O2 → c3 Cuo
Set the number of atoms in the reactants equal to the number of atoms in the products for Cu and O:
Cu: c1=c3
O: 2c2=c3
Since the coefficients are relative quantities and underdetermined, choose a coefficient to set arbitrarily. To keep the coefficients small, the arbitrary value is ordinarily one. For instance, set c2 = 1 and solve the system of equations for the remaining coefficients:
c1=2
c2=1 c3=2
Substitute the coefficients into the chemical reaction to obtain the balanced
equation:
Answer:
2 Cu + O2 → 2CuO
