Based on periodic trends, which elements in Problem 39 (in their elemental form) would you expect to be good reducing agents?
(a) potassium
(b) fluorine
(c) iron
(d) chlorine
Answer :
A reducing agent (also called a reductant or reducer) is an element (such as calcium) or compound that loses (or "donates") an electron to another chemical species in a redox chemical reaction. Since the reducing agent is losing electrons, it is said to have been oxidized.
If any chemical is an electron donor (reducing agent), another must be an electron recipient (oxidizing agent).
A reducing agent is oxidized because it loses electrons in the redox reaction. Thus reducers are "oxidized" by oxidizers and oxidizers are "reduced" by reducers; reducers are by themselves reduced (have more electrons) and oxidizers are by themselves oxidized (have fewer electrons).
A reducing agent typically is in one of its lower possible oxidation states and is known as the electron donor. Examples of reducing agents include the earth metals, formic acid, and sulfite compounds.
(a) Potassium
It is a strong reducing agent .Because it readily loses one electron and reduces .
(b) Fluorine
It is a strong oxidising agent .Because it readily accepts one electron and oxidises.
(c) iron
It is a good reducing agent .
(d) chlorine
It is a strong oxidising agent .Because it readily accepts one electron and oxidises.
