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Redox Reactions

Question
CBSEENCH11006778

Chlorine is used to purify drinking water. Excess of chlorine is harmful. The excess of chlorine is removed by treating with sulphur dioxide. Present a balanced equation for this redox change taking place in water. 

Solution

The skeleton equation is
           Cl subscript 2 left parenthesis aq right parenthesis space plus space SO subscript 2 left parenthesis aq right parenthesis space plus space straight H subscript 2 straight O left parenthesis straight l right parenthesis space space space rightwards arrow space space 2 Cl to the power of minus left parenthesis aq right parenthesis space plus space SO subscript 4 superscript 2 minus end superscript left parenthesis aq right parenthesis
Let us balance the above equation by ion electron method. 
1. Write the oxidation and reduction half-reaction by observing the change in oxidation number and writing these separately
Oxidation half-reaction:
space space S with plus 4 on top O subscript 2 left parenthesis aq right parenthesis space space rightwards arrow space space space S with plus 6 on top O subscript 4 superscript 2 minus end superscript left parenthesis aq right parenthesis
2. Balancing the oxidation half reaction: Reduction half reaction:
stack C l subscript 2 with 0 on top left parenthesis aq right parenthesis space space rightwards arrow space space space stack C l to the power of minus with negative 1 on top left parenthesis aq right parenthesis
(i) Add 2 electrons towards R.H.S. to balance the change on S.
                 SO subscript 2 left parenthesis aq right parenthesis space rightwards arrow space space space SO subscript 4 superscript 2 minus end superscript space left parenthesis aq right parenthesis space plus space 2 straight e to the power of minus
(ii) Balance charge by adding four H+ towards R.H.S.
                     SO subscript 2 left parenthesis aq right parenthesis space space rightwards arrow space space SO subscript 4 superscript 2 minus end superscript left parenthesis aq right parenthesis space plus space 4 straight H to the power of plus left parenthesis aq right parenthesis space plus space 2 straight e to the power of minus
(iii) Balance O atoms by adding two H2O molecules towards L.H.S.
SO subscript 2 left parenthesis aq right parenthesis space plus space 2 straight H subscript 2 straight O left parenthesis straight l right parenthesis space space rightwards arrow space space SO subscript 4 superscript 2 minus end superscript left parenthesis aq right parenthesis space plus space 4 straight H to the power of plus left parenthesis aq right parenthesis space plus space 2 straight e to the power of minus
  (Balanced oxidation half- reaction)
3. Balancing the reduction half reaction:
   (i) Balance Cl atoms by multiplying Clby 2,
             Cl subscript 2 left parenthesis aq right parenthesis space space rightwards arrow space space 2 Cl to the power of minus left parenthesis aq right parenthesis
   (ii) Add e- towards L.H.S.  to balance the charges
          Cl subscript 2 left parenthesis aq right parenthesis space plus space 2 straight e to the power of minus space space rightwards arrow space space space 2 Cl to the power of minus left parenthesis aq right parenthesis
space space space space space space space space space space space left parenthesis Balanced space reduction space half space reaction right parenthesis
4. Adding balanced oxidation half reaction and balanced reduced half reaction.
                   Cl subscript 2 left parenthesis aq right parenthesis space plus space SO subscript 2 left parenthesis aq right parenthesis space plus space 2 straight H subscript 2 straight O left parenthesis straight l right parenthesis space space rightwards arrow space space 2 Cl to the power of minus left parenthesis aq right parenthesis space plus space SO subscript 4 superscript 2 minus end superscript left parenthesis aq right parenthesis space plus space 4 straight H to the power of plus left parenthesis aq right parenthesis
This is the balanced redox equation.