Question

What is an oxidizing agent? Is an oxidizing agent itself oxidized or reduced when it acts on another species?

Short answer

An oxidizing agent is a chemical species that accepts electrons from another species, causing it to be oxidized in a redox reaction. Examples include oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, and halogens. In redox reactions, oxidation is losing electrons, while reduction is gaining electrons. When an oxidizing agent acts on another species, it accepts electrons and thus undergoes reduction. Therefore, an oxidizing agent is reduced when it acts on another species.

Step-by-step solution

Definition of Oxidizing Agent

An oxidizing agent is a chemical species that readily accepts electrons from another species, causing the other species to lose electrons and be oxidized. In other words, an oxidizing agent helps to increase the positive oxidation state of another species in a redox reaction. Common examples of oxidizing agents include oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, and halogens like chlorine and bromine.

Definition of Oxidation and Reduction

In a redox (reduction-oxidation) reaction, one species undergoes oxidation while the other undergoes reduction. Oxidation is the process of losing electrons, which leads to an increase in the oxidation state of a species. On the other hand, reduction is the process of gaining electrons, leading to a decrease in the oxidation state.

Role of Oxidizing Agent in Redox Reactions

In a redox reaction, the oxidizing agent takes electrons from the reducing agent (the species being oxidized). By doing so, it helps the reducing agent lose electrons and be oxidized. As the oxidizing agent accepts electrons, it becomes an electron-rich species (i.e., negatively charged).

Oxidizing Agent: Oxidized or Reduced?

When an oxidizing agent acts on another species and accepts electrons, it is actually being reduced. This is because the process of gaining electrons is called reduction. So, an oxidizing agent is reduced during the redox reaction as it accepts electrons from the species being oxidized.