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lorijessica16 · Apr 20, 2009, 03:36 PM

I need help writing the net ionic equation for the reaction of permanganate ion with tin(II) ion in an acidic solution. Please and thanks in advance :)

Perito · Apr 20, 2009, 07:08 PM

Permanganate = KMnO4
Tin(II) = Sn(+2)

The first thing you need to figure out is what is being oxidized and what is being reduced. Sn is being oxidized and Permanganate (manganese) is being reduced.

You should next figure out what the oxidized ion is being oxidized to and what the reduced ion is being reduced to.

I'll do it for you this time, but you should try next time. These are balanced half reactions

$MnO_4^-\,+\,8H^+\,+\,5e^-\, --->\, Mn^{+2}\,+\,4H_2O$

$Sn^{+2} --->\, Sn^{+4}\,+\,2e^-$

The half reactions need to be added. However, before you add, you need to match the electrons. The first equation must be multiplied by 2, the second equation must be multiplied by 5. The result is

$2MnO_4^-\,+\,16H^+\,+\,10e^-\,+\,5Sn^{+2}\,--->\,2Mn^{+2}\,+\,8H_2O\,+\,Sn^{+4}\,+\,10e^-$

The 10 electrons are on both sides of the equation so we can eliminate them

$2MnO_4^-\,+\,16H^+\,+\,5Sn^{+2}\,--->\,2Mn^{+2}\,+\,8H_2O\,+\,5Sn^{+4}$

and viola, the equation is balanced.