Question

explain, why reducing power of element increases down in the group while decreases in the period.

Answer 1

The reducing power of the element is defined as the ability of element to reduce substance by providing electrons, thus the element that can loose electron easily will be able to reduce other substances, since the power to loose electron is determined by the ionization enthalpy and metallic character of the element, which both increase down the group but decrease across a period. Thereby, the reducing power of the elements also increases down the group and decreases across the period.