Question

Define oxidizing and reducing agents by giving suitable examples.

Answer 1

Hint: The Oxidizing and reducing agents are key terms which are used to describe the reactants in redox reactions which transfer the electrons between reactants in order to form products. In this question we discuss how to determine an oxidizing and reducing agent in a chemical reaction, what defines an oxidizing or reducing agent and the examples of Oxidizing and reducing agents.

Complete answer:
Oxidizing agent: An element that gains electrons is an oxidizing agent and since the oxidizing agent means to gain electrons, it is said to have been reduced because reduction is the addition of electrons and loss of electrons is the oxidation. Thus, the element which gets reduced or undergoes reduction is called an oxidizing agent.
Consider the following example
$$2Mg+O_2\to 2MgO$$
In the above reaction as we can see $O_2$ is being reduced by losing oxygen atoms and thus here $O_2$ acts as an oxidizing agent as it undergoes reduction.
Reducing agent: An element that loses electrons is a reducing agent and since the reducing agent means to lose electrons, it is said to have been oxidized since oxidation is the loss of electrons. Thus, the element that gets oxidized or undergoes oxidation is called the reducing agent.
Consider the following example
$$4N{H}_3+5O_2\to 4NO+6H_{2}O$$
In the above reaction nitrogen atom in ammonia is being oxidized into nitric oxide (NO) by gaining oxygen atom. Thus $N{H}_3$ is a reducing agent as it undergoes oxidation by gaining oxygen atoms.

Note: It should be noted that the major examples of oxidizing agents include halogens, potassium nitrate, and nitric acid whereas the major examples of reducing agents include formic acid, sulfite compounds and the earth metals. Also, keep in mind that the atoms, ions, and molecules which have an unusually great affinity for electrons tend to be good oxidizing agents.