Final answer:
The reaction given is a combustion redox reaction where octane is oxidized to CO2 while O2 is reduced to H2O, making octane the reducing agent and O2 the oxidizing agent.
Step-by-step explanation:
The reaction 2C8H18 + 25O2 → 16CO2 + 18H2O is a combustion reaction where octane (C8H18) is reacting with oxygen (O2) to produce carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). In this process, octane is the fuel that burns in the presence of oxygen to release energy. This is a redox reaction, where octane is oxidized (loses electrons) as its carbon atoms go from a lower oxidation state in C8H18 to a higher one in CO2, and oxygen is reduced (gains electrons) as it goes from O2 to H2O. Thus, octane acts as the reducing agent, and oxygen acts as the oxidizing agent.