Question

Hydrogen can be prepared on a small scale by the hydrolysis of metal hydrides:

Answer 1

Answer:

Ca²⁺ + 2H⁻ + 2(2H⁺ + O²⁻) ----> Ca²⁺ + 2O²⁻ + 2H⁺ + 4H⁰

              (2 electrons lost)    ---->      (2 electrons gained)

Explanation:

The equation of the reaction is as follows: CaH₂ + 2H₂0 —> Ca(OH)₂ + 2H₂

The oxidation numbers of each of the atoms in the molecules are as follows:

In CaH₂, calcium has an oxidation number of +2, while hydrogen has an oxidation number of -1  ; Ca²⁺, 2H⁻

In 2H₂0, hydrogen has an oxidation number of +1 while oxygen has an oxidation number of -2 ; H⁺, O²⁻

In Ca(OH)₂, calcium has an oxidation number of +2 while oxygen has an oxidation number of -2 and hydrogen has an oxidation number of +1 ; Ca²⁺, O²⁻,  2H⁺

In 2H₂, each hydrogen atom has an oxidation number of 0 ; 4 H⁰

Ca²⁺ + 2H⁻ + 2(2H⁺ + O²⁻) ----> Ca²⁺ + 2O²⁻ + 2H⁺ + 4H⁰

On the left hand side, the hydride ion gives up two electrons to become neutral hydrogen atoms.

On the right hand, two hydrogen atoms accept two electrons to form neutral atoms.

These neutral hydrogen atoms pair up to form two hydrogen gas molecules.