What is the role of a reducing agent in a reaction?
What is the role of a reducing agent in a reaction?
Properties of hydrogen
Colourless and pungent.
Hydrogen is a colourless, odourless, non-poisonous and tasteless gas.
Acidic gas
Action with litmus paper - Hydrogen is a neutral gas meaning it is neither acidic nor basic. Hence, it does not react and changes the colour of either red or blue litmus paper.
Supports combustion.
Hydrogen is a combustible gas and burns with a pop sound, but is a non-supporter of combustion.
The pop sound comes from the small explosion formed by the burning of hydrogen with oxygen.
Reducing agent
When hydrogen is passed over hot metallic oxides like copper oxide, lead monoxide or iron oxide,
It removes oxygen from them and reduces them to their corresponding metal.
Hence hydrogen acts as a good reducing agent as it removes oxygen when it reacts with metal oxide.
Example-
Hydrogen is used as a good reducing agent to extract metals from metal oxides of less reactive metals like copper, lead and tin.
Properties of hydrogen
Colourless and pungent.
Hydrogen is a colourless, odourless, non-poisonous and tasteless gas.
Acidic gas
Action with litmus paper - Hydrogen is a neutral gas meaning it is neither acidic nor basic. Hence, it does not react and changes the colour of either red or blue litmus paper.
Supports combustion.
Hydrogen is a combustible gas and burns with a pop sound, but is a non-supporter of combustion.
The pop sound comes from the small explosion formed by the burning of hydrogen with oxygen.
Reducing agent
When hydrogen is passed over hot metallic oxides like copper oxide, lead monoxide or iron oxide,
It removes oxygen from them and reduces them to their corresponding metal.
Hence hydrogen acts as a good reducing agent as it removes oxygen when it reacts with metal oxide.
Example-
Hydrogen is used as a good reducing agent to extract metals from metal oxides of less reactive metals like copper, lead and tin.
