Question

Identify the oxidising agent (oxidant) in the following reactions:

(a) ${\text{Pb}}_3{\text{O}}_4+8\text{HCl}\to 3{\text{PbCl}}_2+{\text{Cl}}_2+4{\text{H}}_2\text{O}$
(b) $2\text{Mg}+{\text{O}}_2\to 2\text{MgO}$
(c) ${\text{CuSO}}_4+\text{Zn}\to \text{Cu}+{\text{ZnSO}}_4$
(d) ${\text{V}}_2{\text{O}}_5+5\text{Ca}\to 2\text{V}+5\text{CaO}$
(e) $3\text{Fe}+4{\text{H}}_2\text{O}\to {\text{Fe}}_3{\text{O}}_4+4{\text{H}}_2$
(f) $\text{CuO}+{\text{H}}_2\to \text{Cu}+{\text{H}}_2\text{O}$

Answer 1

An oxidising agent either gains electron or oxidises other substances by transfering its oxygen to them. Following are the oxidising agents for the given reactions:

(a) ${\text{Pb}}_3{\text{O}}_4$ as it is oxidising $\text{HCl}\text{to}{\text{H}}_2\text{O}$
(b) ${\text{O}}_2$ as it is oxidising $\text{Mg to MgO}$
(c) ${\text{CuSO}}_4$ as it is oxidising $\text{Zn}\text{to}{\text{ZnSO}}_4$
(d) ${\text{V}}_2{\text{O}}_5$ as it is oxidising $\text{Ca to CaO}$
(e) ${\text{H}}_2\text{O}$ as it is oxidising $\text{Fe to}{\text{Fe}}_3{\text{O}}_4$
(f) $\text{CuO}$ as it is oxidising ${\text{H}}_2\text{to}{\text{H}}_2\text{O}$