In this introduction to oxidation-reduction, students work independently to determine:
- The relative tendency of metal to lose electrons‚
- The relative tendency of halogens to gain electrons‚
Students place pieces of zinc, lead and copper in solutions of metallic ions to test their relative reducing ability. Then, they compare and determine the relative oxidizing strength of certain halogen elements: chlorine, bromine and iodine. This highly visible and safe activity is an excellent introduction to a very important chemical concept. This Lab-Aid is complete for 50 students, but has a limited shelf-life.