Oxidising & Reducing Agents

oxidising & reducing agents

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Oxidising agents or oxidants : are substances which

Show gain of electrons
Oxidise other substances
are reduced themselves
Show a decrease in oxidation no.

Reducing Agents or Reductants : are substances which

Show loss of electrons
reduce other substances
are oxidised themselves
show an increase in oxidation no.

Redox reaction is a process in which reducing agent is oxidised & liberate electrons, which are then taken up by an oxidising agent to get itself reduced. In redox rxns oxidation and reduction occur simultaneously.

Ex.

Identify the oxidizing agent and the reducing agent in the following redox reaction: $M n O 2 (s) + 4 H + (a q) + 2 C l - (a q) \to M n 2 + (a q) + 2 H 2 O (l) + C l 2 (g)$

$C l^{-}$

is the reducing agent because it is oxidized and loses one electron (starting with an oxidation state of -1 in the $C l^{-}$ ions and increasing to 0 in $C l_{2}$ ). Remember that gaining electrons means it is “reduced”. $M n O_{2}$ is the oxidizing agent because it is reduced by gaining two electrons (starting with $M n$ in an oxidation state of +4 in $M n O_{2}$ and decreasing to +2 in free $M n^{2 +}$

ions). Keep in mind that losing electrons means it is “oxidized”.

Oxidation Number - rules for calculation »

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