Question

Identify the oxidized and reduced substances in the following reactions.

${\mathrm{H}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)+\mathrm{CuO}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)\to \mathrm{Cu}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)+{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)$

Answer 1

• The given reaction is ${\mathrm{H}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)+\mathrm{CuO}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)\to \mathrm{Cu}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)+{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)$
• In the given reaction, oxygen is added to hydrogen (H₂) and oxygen is removed from copper(II) oxide (CuO).
• Here, electrons are removed from hydrogen while electrons are added to copper.
• Therefore, the substance that is oxidized in the reaction is hydrogen and the reduced one is copper(II) oxide.