3.4 - oxidising/reducing agents Flashcards
what is oxidation?
loss of electrons from species
what is reduction?
gain of electrons from species
what is an oxidising agent?
electron acceptor
what is a reducing agent?
electron donor
where are reducing agents found in the data book?
right hand side of the electrochemical series
where are oxidising agents found in the data book?
left hand side of the electrochemical series
where are the best reducing agents found?
top of the right hand side of the electrochemical series
where are the best oxidising agents found?
bottom of the left hand side of the electrochemical series
why are non-metals good oxidising agents?
non-metals tend to have high electronegativity values, meaning they have strong attraction for electrons, they are therefore good oxidising agents
why are metals good reducing agents?
metal elements have low electronegativity values, meaning they have a poor attraction for electrons and tend to lose them, therefore meaning they are effective reducing agents
what group in the periodic table are the best oxidising agents?
group 7
what group in the periodic table are the best reducing agents?
group 1
elements with low electronegativities are…?
strong reducing agents
elements with high electronegativities are…?
strong oxidising agents
what are two uses of oxidising agents?
- remove colour
- kill bacteria, deactivate viruses
