Oxidation Number, Oxidant and Reductant as Derivative Concepts within GATES/GEB Formulation

Formulation of Generalized Electron Balance (GEB) according to Approach II to GEB, based on linear combination f12 = 2∙f(O) – f(H) of elemental balances: f(H) for H and f(O) for O, is illustrated on the titration of NaBr + H2SO4 (as titrand, D) with Ce(SO4)2 + H2SO4 solution (as titrant, T), according to GATES/GEB principles. Some fundamental advantages inherent in linear combination of f12 with other elemental/core balances are indicated. The prior information on oxidation numbers of all elements participating the redox system is not needed. The multipliers needed to obtain the simpler form of the balance resulting from the linear combination are equal to oxidation numbers of the elements participating the related system. This way, the f12 provides the criterion distinguishing between nonredox and redox systems. The f12 is linearly independent on other balances in a redox system, or linearly dependent in non-redox systems; the D and T are considered here as non-redox subsystems of the D+T redox system. All available physicochemical knowledge related to the D+T system can be involved in the iterative computer program used for calculation purposes.