Question

What’s a reducing agent? Identify the oxidizing agent and reducing agent in the following reaction.
2Na + Cl2 → 2NaCl

Answer 1

Have you assigned oxidation numbers (also called oxidation states) to all the species?

Answer 2

No I haven't. I'm not really quite sure what to do with this question at all.

Answer 3

First assign oxidations states, then examine which went more positive (lost electrons) and which one went more negative (gained electrons).

Remember OILRIG

Oxidation is loss
Reduction is gain

Answer 4

2Na would be +1 (I think)
Cl2 would be -1
2NaCl would be 0, right?

Answer 5

Not quite.

2Na + Cl2 → 2NaCl
0 0 (+1)(-1)

there are rules for this

Answer 6

\(\sf Assigning ~Oxidation ~states\)

You start off with a basic set of rules and you figure the rest out with simple arithmetic.

Rules (most often true, except in rare occasions):
Group 1 always +1
Group 2 always +2
Oxygen always -2
Group 7 always -1
Noble gases, elemental or homonuclear (the same element) molecules are zero

The rest you have to figure out by subtracting or adding to achieve whatever charge the compound bears.

Answer 7

Oh that makes sense

Answer 8

good stuff

Answer 9

Thank you!

Answer 10

no problem !