3.4 - Oxidising and Reducing Agents

• Oxidising agent


  chemical reagents which can oxidise other atoms, molecules or ions by taking electrons away
• examples of oxidising agents

  oxygen

  nitric acid

  hydrogen peroxide

  potassium Manganate (VII)

  potassium dichromate (VI)

  fluorine
• reducing agent


  chemical reagents which can reduce other atoms, molecules or ions by giving them electrons
• examples of reducing agents

  hydrogen

  sulfur dioxide

  zinc/iron in acid
• disproportionation reactions


  a reaction where an element in a single species is being simultaneously Oxidised and reduced
• examples of disproportionation reactions

  decomposition of hydrogen peroxide

  warming copper (l) Oxide with dilute sulfuric acid
• decomposition of hydrogen peroxide

  2H2O2 → 2H2O + O2

  disproportionation reaction
• worming copper (l) oxide with dilute sulfuric acid

  Cu2O + H2SO4 → CuSO4 + Cu + H2O