Identify the oxidizing agent and the reducing agent in the following reaction: 5 H2C2O4(aq) + 2 MnO4-(aq) + 6 H+(aq) 2 Mn2+(aq) + 10 CO2(g) + 8 H2O(l)
2006-10-14 16:25:56 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
the Mn in MnO4- is reduced from a +7 state to a +2 state
so MnO4- is the oxidizing agent
The C in H2C2O4 is in a +3 state and is oxidized to a +4 state in CO2 so H2C2O4 is the reducing agent
2006-10-14 16:29:28 · answer #1 · answered by Greg G 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
H2C2O4 is the oxidizing agent because +3 is the oxidation state of C in H2C2O4 and +4 in CO2
MnO4- is the reducing agent because +7 is the oxidation state of Mn in MnO4- & +2 in Mn2+
2006-10-14 18:34:07 · answer #2 · answered by Black B 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
An oxidizing agent is one that itself has been reduced that is gained electrons. Since the Manganese (Mn) in MnO4 was decreased from +7 to a +2 it gained electrons so was reduced and thus is the oxidizing agent in this reaction.
However the reverse is also true. A reducing agetn is one that itself was oxidized or gained electrons. THe C in H2C2O4 increased from +3 to +4 in CO2. It lost electrons and so was oxidized and thus was the reducing agent.
2006-10-14 16:41:32 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oxidizing agent : MnO4- (oxidation state Mn +7) oxidizes H2C2O4 and gets reduced to Mn2+ (oxidation state Mn +2)
Reducing agent: H2C2O4 (oxidation state C +3) reduces MnO4- to Mn2+ and gets oxidized to CO2 (oxidation state C +4)
2006-10-14 16:31:03 · answer #4 · answered by vnav_in 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need an arrow I guess. I think I worked this problem years ago.
MnO4- has -8 for oxygen but charge -1 overall on ion so is Mn+7 on left side.
It gets 5 electrons from the oxalic acid. for each Mn+2 ion made
I'm too lazy to go any further.
2006-10-14 16:34:00 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Now, i'm no longer precisely an expert, yet i think of brokers pass on the reactants area of the equation. interior the tip, the CH4 is reacting to the O2 via breaking itself into 2 diverse different molecules. The O2 is inflicting the CH4 to interrupt up, so i could ought to declare the O2 is the oxidizing agent. So...i could ought to declare B.
2016-10-19 10:15:36 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋