[makonia]

How do I balance this reaction:
KMnO4 → K2MnO4 + MnO2 + O2
Mn is redused to both +4 and +6, also they both come from the same molecule.

[sjb]

How do I balance this reaction:
KMnO₄ → K₂MnO₄ + MnO₂ + O₂
Mn is redused to both +4 and +6, also they both come from the same molecule.

So manganese is reduced - you can write two half equations for that. Is anything oxidised?

[AdiDex]

Is this redox reaction in acidic medium or basic medium or nothing is given to you...?

[makonia]

The only thing given is that the process is done by heating up KMnO4 in order to produce oxygen.

I suppose i could write two half equations, but they specifically ask that i solve it by oxidation numbers which confuses me because I don't know how to do that when it is redused into two different oxidation numbers. The one that is oxidised is oxygen, which goes from -2 to 0

[makonia]

The way I think Mn starts as +7 and is then reduced to +6 in K2MnO4 and +4 in the other one. that way it receives 4 electrons combined and since oxygen only gives two I have to dobble the amount of oxygen on both sides of the equation. Does this make any sense or am I completely lost right now?

[Borek]

I would not bother with treating it as redox. Start balancing potassium.

[makonia]

Thank you! figured it out now