8.9 Consider the reactions:

(a) 6 CO2(g) + 6H2O(l) C6 H12 O6(aq) + 6O2(g)

(b) O3(g) + H2O2(l) H2O(l) + 2O2(g)

Why it is more appropriate to write these reactions as :

(a) 6CO2(g) + 12H2O(l) C6 H12 O6(aq) + 6H2O(l) + 6O2(g)

(b) O3(g) + H2O2 (l) H2O(l) + O2(g) + O2(g)

Also suggest a technique to investigate the path of the above (a) and (b) redox reactions.

(a)Theprocessofphotosynthesisinvolvestwosteps.
Step1:
H2OdecomposestogiveH2andO2.
2H2Ol2H2g+O2g
Step2:
TheH2producedinstep1reducesCO2,
therebyproducingglucose(C6H12O6)andH2O.
6CO2g+12H2gC6H12O6g+6H2Ol
Now,thenetreactionoftheprocessisgivenas:
2H2Ol2H2g+O2g]×6
6CO2g+12H2gC6H12O6g+6H2Ol6CO2g+12H2OlC6H12O6g+6H2Ol+602g

It is more appropriate to write the reaction as given above because water molecules are
also produced in the process of photosynthesis. The path of this reaction can be investigated by using radioactive H2O18 in place of H2O.

(b) O2 is produced from each of the two reactants O3andH2O18. For this reason, O2 is written twice.
The given reaction involves two steps. First, O3 decomposes to form O2 and O. In the second step, H2O2 reacts with the O produced in the first step, thereby producing H2O and O2.
O3gO2g+Og
H2O2l+OgH2Ol+O2gH2O2l+O3gH2Ol+O2g+O2g
ThepathofthisreactioncanbeinvestigatedbyusingH2O218
orO318.