Question

Which among the following statement(s) is(are) correct for the redox reaction given below?
${\text{Pb}}_3{\text{O}}_4+8\text{HCl}\stackrel{\text{Heat}}{\to }3{\text{PbCl}}_2+{\text{Cl}}_2+4{\text{H}}_2\text{O}$

• A. $\text{HCl}$ is oxidised
• B. $\text{HCl}$ is reduced
• C. ${\text{Pb}}_3{\text{O}}_4$ is reduced
• D. ${\text{Pb}}_3{\text{O}}_4$ is oxidised

Answer 1

Answer: (A), (C)

${\text{Pb}}_3{\text{O}}_4$ is reduced

A substance is said to be oxidised if it either loses hydrogen or gains oxygen. A substance is said to be reduced if it either loses oxygen or gains hydrogen.
In the given reaction, $\text{HCl}$ is oxidised to ${\text{Cl}}_2$ by losing hydrogen whereas ${\text{Pb}}_3{\text{O}}_4$ is reduced to ${\text{PbCl}}_2$ by losing oxygen.