Reducing and Oxidizing Agents
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Re: Reducing and Oxidizing Agents
A reactant is both the reducing and oxidizing agent when it's used to form both products. For example, 2H2O2 -> 2H2O + O2
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Re: Reducing and Oxidizing Agents
If the single reactant has two products in the given equation, we look at the oxidation numbers of each element within each compound. For example, in
Br2 (l) -> BrO3- (aq) + Br- (aq), the Br on the reactant side has an Oxidation number of 0, because it is a diatomic molecule. The Br within BrO3- has an oxidation number of 5+ while the Br within the Br- has an oxidation number of 1-. Therefore, since the oxidation number of Br increases from Br2 to Bro3-, Br2 is the reducing agent while the oxidation number decreases from Br2 to Br-, making Br2 the oxidizing agent in this case. Since Br2 oxidizes in one half reaction and reduces in the other half reaction, it is both a reducing agent and oxidizing agent.
Br2 (l) -> BrO3- (aq) + Br- (aq), the Br on the reactant side has an Oxidation number of 0, because it is a diatomic molecule. The Br within BrO3- has an oxidation number of 5+ while the Br within the Br- has an oxidation number of 1-. Therefore, since the oxidation number of Br increases from Br2 to Bro3-, Br2 is the reducing agent while the oxidation number decreases from Br2 to Br-, making Br2 the oxidizing agent in this case. Since Br2 oxidizes in one half reaction and reduces in the other half reaction, it is both a reducing agent and oxidizing agent.
Re: Reducing and Oxidizing Agents
A reactant can be both a reducing and oxidizing agent when it is used in forming products with different oxidation states.
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