redox

[Cyianna 2F]

So in an oxidation-reduction reaction, which is the reducing and which is the oxidizing agent?

[Nora 1F]

In a redox reaction, the oxidizing agent is what causes something else to become oxidized (by becoming reduced itself) and the reducing agent is what causes something else to become reduced (by becoming oxidized itself). If it would help to see it in different words or for some examples, https://chem.libretexts.org/Core/Analyt ... ing_Agents might help to clarify!

[Wenjie Dong 2E]

Agree. The substance loss electrons is oxidized and that gain electrons is reduced.

[Caroline LaPlaca]

oxidized means losing an electron and reduced means gaining an electron

[Guangyu Li 2J]

If the oxidation number of an atom is greater in the product, then it lost electrons and the substance was oxidized and it is the reducing agent. If the oxidation number of an atom is less, then it gained electrons and was reduced and it is the oxidizing agent.

[Alex Nechaev 1I]

Just remember opposites. The element being oxidized is the reducing agent and the element being reduced is the oxidizing agent.

[William Xu Dis 1D]

An easy way to remember this is that an agent has to induce what it is for, so in the case of an OXIDIZING agent, it has to induce oxidation (the loss of electrons) in another molecule; it does this by being reduced (accepting electrons). A REDUCING agent has to induce reduction in another compound, and it does this by being oxidized (giving out an electron) to give an electron to the compound being reduced.

[aaron tang 2K]

LEO: loss (of) electrons OXIDIZE
Reduction is gaining electrons.