Identify the oxidising agent (oxidant) in the following reactions.
Pb3O4+8HCl→3PbCl2+Cl2+4H2O
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Solution
An oxidising agent is the one which oxidises other substances (by removal of hydrogen or addition of oxygen) and itself gets reduced (addition of hydrogen or removal of oxygen).
Pb3O4+8HCl→3PbCl2+Cl2+4H2O
In the above reaction, lead oxide (Pb3O4) acts as an oxidising agent as it oxidises hydrochloric acid (HCl) to chlorine (Cl2).