Question

Fluorine reacts with ice and results in the change: 

H2O(s) + F2(g) → HF(g) + HOF(g) 

Justify that this reaction is a redox reaction

Answer 1

Let us write the oxidation number of each atom involved in the given reaction above its symbol as: 

Here, we have observed that the oxidation number of F increases from 0 in F₂ to +1 in HOF. Also, the oxidation number decreases from 0 in F₂ to –1 in HF. Thus, in the above reaction, F is both oxidized and reduced. Hence, the given reaction is a redox reaction.