Question #f7240

1 Answer
Mar 12, 2016

Yes, it will.

Explanation:

Hydrogen peroxide, #"H"_2"O"_2#, will reduce gold(III) oxide, #"Au"_2"O"_3#, to gold metal, #"Au"#.

Gold will be reduced from a #+3# **oxidation state in gold(III) oxide, to a #0# oxidation state in gold metal.

At the same time, oxygen will be oxidized from a #-1# oxidation state in hydrogen peroxide to a #0# oxidation state in oxygen gas, #"O"_2#.

As far as I know, hydrogen peroxide acts as a reducing agent in alkaline and acidic solutions, so I'm not sure which is applicable here.

The balanced chemical equation for this reaction looks like this - oxidation states included

#stackrel(color(blue)(+3))("Au"_2)"O"_text(3(s]) + 3"H"_2stackrel(color(blue)(-1))("O")_text(2(aq]) -> 3stackrel(color(blue)(0))("Au")_text((s]) + 3"H"_2"O"_text((l]) + 3stackrel(color(blue)(0))("O")_text(2(g])# #uarr#