Question

specify which of the following are oxidation-reduction reactions, and if it is, identify the oxidizing agent, the reducing agent, the substance being oxidized, and the substance being reduced. if it is not, select no and leave the following boxes blank. express your answers as a chemical formulas. omit states-of-matter. redox? oxidizing agent reducing agent substance oxidized substance reduced redox? oxidizing agent reducing agent substance oxidized substance reduced redox? oxidizing agent reducing agent substance oxidized substance reduced redox? oxidizing agent reducing agent substance oxidized substance reduced redox? oxidizing agent reducing agent substance oxidized substance reduced

Answer 1

Chemical reactions that involve changes in oxidation numbers of elements are classified as oxidation-reduction reactions, in which we identify the oxidizing and reducing agents and the substances oxidized and reduced.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine whether a given chemical reaction is an oxidation-reduction (redox) reaction, we must assign oxidation numbers to each atom and then identify any changes in those numbers. A redox reaction involves the transfer of electrons from one species to another, where the substance losing electrons is oxidized and acts as the reducing agent, while the substance gaining electrons is reduced and acts as the oxidizing agent.

For example, in the equation 2NO + Cl2 → 2NOCl, one can assign oxidation numbers to find that NO is oxidized and Cl2 is reduced. Thus, NO is the reducing agent and Cl2 is the oxidizing agent. Similarly, in the equation 2K + MgCl2 → 2KCl + Mg, potassium (K) is oxidized and magnesium ion (Mg2+) is reduced, making K the reducing agent and Mg2+ the oxidizing agent.

Equations that do not show a change in oxidation numbers, such as FeSO3 → FeSO3, are not redox reactions. Hence, no oxidizing or reducing agents can be identified.