PLz Help. How do you balance this half cell reaction? C2H5OH CO2 Also, is this an oxidation reaction or a reduction reaction? How do you know? I'm so lost.

Question

PLz Help. How do you balance this half cell reaction?
C2H5OH <->CO2

Also, is this an oxidation reaction or a reduction reaction? How do you know? I'm so lost.

jotopia34 · Answer

This is what I have:
C2H5OH
leaves an oxidation number of -2 per Carbon

On the other side, I know you have to mult by 2 to get 2CO2, but I don't know how many electrons have been exchanged and on what side do they go? I know you balance O with H2O and then balance with H+, but the electrons have me whacky.

jotopia34 · Answer

Now, I have tried, with these numbers:

C2H5OH +3H20 <->2CO2 +12e +12H+

Is that correct?