Question

Identify the substance oxidized, reduced, oxidizing agent and reducing agent in $\underset{\mathrm{lead}}{\mathrm{Pb}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{lead}\mathrm{oxide}}{{\mathrm{PbO}}_2(\mathrm{s}})+\underset{\mathrm{Sulfuric}\mathrm{acid}}{{\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)}\to \underset{\mathrm{lead}\mathrm{sulfate}}{2{\mathrm{PbSO}}_4}(\mathrm{s})+\underset{\mathrm{Water}}{2{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)}$

Answer 1

Part 1: Identifying the Oxidizing agent

• The oxidizing agents (also known as an oxidizer or oxidants) are those chemical species that tend to oxidize other substances i.e. by reducing themselves, they lose electrons and so increase their oxidation state.
• In the given reaction Lead in Lead oxide changes its oxidation state from $+4$ to$+2$.

$\underset{\mathrm{Lead}\mathrm{oxide}}{\stackrel{+4}{{\mathrm{PbO}}_2\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}}\to \stackrel{+2}{\underset{\mathrm{Lead}\mathrm{sulphate}}{2{\mathrm{PbSO}}_4\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}}$

• Hence it is an oxidizing agent or substance that is reduced in the reaction.

Part 2: Identifying the Reducing agent

• The reducing agents are those chemical species that tend to reduce other substances i.e. by oxidizing themselves, and they loses electrons to get oxidized.
• In the given reaction, Lead changes its oxidation state by converting to Lead sulphate $0$ to$+2$

$\stackrel{0}{\underset{\mathrm{Lead}}{\mathrm{Pb}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}}\to \stackrel{+2}{\underset{\mathrm{Lead}\mathrm{sulphate}}{2{\mathrm{PbSO}}_4}}$

• Hence it is an oxidized substance or a reducing agent.

Therefore, Lead is an oxidizing agent or substance that is reduced and Lead oxide is a reducing agent or substance that is oxidized.