Video Transcript
The following equation describes how hydrogen can react with hot copper oxide. H2 gas plus CuO solid reacts to produce Cu solid plus H2O gas. Which of the following statements correctly describes the hydrogen and the copper
oxide during this chemical reaction? (A) The hydrogen and the copper oxide are both reduced during this reaction. (B) The hydrogen is reduced during this reaction, and the copper oxide is
oxidized. (C) The hydrogen and the copper oxide are both oxidized during this reaction. (D) The hydrogen is oxidized during this reaction, and the copper oxide is
reduced.
In this question, we are asked to describe the hydrogen and the copper oxide in the
chemical reaction, which involves two chemicals reacting to form copper metal and
steam. If we take a look at our answer choices, we can see that the descriptions involve
oxidization and reduction.
Let us clear some space to discuss oxidization and reduction in order to answer this
question. Oxidization and reduction are two ways of explaining changes in a chemical
reaction. These two processes always happen concurrently, which means they happen at the same
time, and one cannot happen without the other. In oxidization, a chemical process occurs that increases the oxygen percentage or
decreases the hydrogen percentage in a substance.
Now let us identify what has undergone oxidization in the chemical reaction within
this question. We will identify oxidization in yellow. Since oxidization involves an increase in oxygen, we should notice that hydrogen gas
gained oxygen to become steam. Therefore, hydrogen has undergone oxidization.
Now that we have identified the chemical species that underwent oxidization, let us
discuss reduction. Reduction occurs when a chemical process decreases the oxygen percentage or increases
the hydrogen percentage in a substance. Now, let us go back to the chemical reaction in the question. And we will identify reduction in pink. Since reduction involves a decrease in oxygen, we should notice that copper oxide
loses oxygen to become copper. Therefore, copper oxide has undergone reduction.
Now that we have identified oxidization and reduction within the chemical reaction,
let us take a look at the answer choices. If we take a look at our answer choices, we can see that answer choice (D) matches
our understanding of oxidization and reduction.
Therefore, the statement that correctly describes the hydrogen and the copper oxide
during the chemical reaction is answer choice (D). The hydrogen is oxidized during this reaction, and the copper oxide is reduced.
