Question

Metals behave as reducing agents. Why?

Answer 1

• Metals are electropositive which means they readily lose electrons to form positive ions.
• The ones that are able to lose electrons are called the electropositive element.
• So metals are reducing agents since they can lose electrons present in them.
• Reducing agents are those which lose their electrons in a reaction.
• For example, Sodium loses electrons in this way.

$\underset{\left(\mathrm{Sodium}\right)}{\mathrm{Na}}\to \underset{\left(\mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{ion}\right)}{{\mathrm{Na}}^{+}}+{\mathrm{e}}^{-}$