Question

Is Zn a reducing agent?

Answer 1

1. Reducing agent: A substance or compound said to be a reducing agent if it is helpful to another compound for the reduction. And itself undergoes oxidation. Potassium, calcium, barium, sodium, and magnesium are examples of reducing agents.
2. The addition of hydrogen or gain of the electron is called reduction. On the other hand loss of electrons or the addition of oxygen is called oxidation.
3. Zinc: Zinc can lose two-electron from its outermost orbital hence it will undergo oxidation. So zinc is a reducing agent.
4. Zinc reduces copper sulfate into copper. The reaction is given as-

$\underset{\mathrm{copper}\mathrm{sulfate}}{{\mathrm{CuSO}}_4\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{zinc}}{\mathrm{Zn}\left(\mathrm{S}\right)}\to \underset{\mathrm{zinc}\mathrm{sulfate}}{{\mathrm{ZnSO}}_4\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{copper}}{\mathrm{Cu}(\mathrm{s}})$

1. In the above reaction copper undergoes reduction due to zinc so zinc is working as a reducing agent.

Hence, Zinc is a reducing agent.