Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v4 - SHS 3
EQUILIBRIA
Download the Lessonotes Mobile Ghana app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
EQUILIBRIA
Download the Lessonotes Mobile Ghana app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
Subject: Chemistry
Class: SHS 3
Term: 2nd Term
Week: 15
Grade code: 3.1.2.LI.2
Strand code: 1
Sub-strand code: 2
Content standard code: 3.1.2.CS.4
Indicator code: 3.1.2.LI.2
Theme: PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY
Subtheme: EQUILIBRIA
This page supports the lesson note with a companion video and a short classroom-ready summary.
For class groups and homework, share this lesson page so learners also get the summary, objectives, and full lesson context.
This lesson introduces the fundamental concepts of oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions, a class of chemical reactions that are central to our daily lives. While this topic falls under the broader sub-strand of 'Equilibria', our focus is on the process of electron transfer. Redox reactions are happening all around us: when a piece of iron nail rusts in the rain, when we burn charcoal to cook our *banku*, when a car battery starts the engine, and even in the processes that provide energy within our own bodies. In Ghana, we see applications of redox chemistry in disinfecting our water with chlorine, bleaching hair in salons, and in industrial processes.
Part A: The Fundamentals of Redox Reactions
Redox is a shorthand for Reduction-Oxidation. These two processes always occur together. You cannot have one without the other. Definitions of Oxidation and Reduction
There are several ways to define these terms:
| Process | In Terms of Oxygen | In Terms of Hydrogen | In Terms of Electrons | In Terms of Oxidation Number | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Oxidation | Gain of oxygen | Loss of hydrogen | Loss of electrons | Increase in oxidation number | | Reduction| Loss of oxygen | Gain of hydrogen | Gain of electrons | Decrease in oxidation number |