Question

Can anyone please tell me what is the oxidation potential of oxalic acid when it is oxidized to form carbon dioxide and water?

Answer 1

Somewhere in every chemistry text there will be a table called "standard reduction potentials", probably in the appendix. The reaction you're looking for is \[H{_2}C{_2}O{_4} \rightarrow 2CO{_2} + 2H{^+} + 2e{^-}\] and will have a standard reduction voltage afterwards. The reaction may be listed "backwards", since a reduction is the GAIN of electrons, and reduction is the LOSS of electrons (remember LEO says GER). The oxidation half-reaction will be the reverse of the reduction half-reaction, so the oxidation voltage will be the reverse of the reduction voltage.