Which of the following will act as both oxidizing agents and reducing agents?
Answer Details
The oxidizing and reducing properties of a substance depend on its ability to gain or lose electrons. A substance that can gain electrons acts as an oxidizing agent, while a substance that can lose electrons acts as a reducing agent.
Among the given options, both Cl2 (chlorine gas) and SO2 (sulfur dioxide) can act as both oxidizing and reducing agents depending on the reaction conditions.
- Cl2 can act as an oxidizing agent when it gains electrons to form Cl- ions, and it can act as a reducing agent when it loses electrons to form Cl+ ions. For example, in the reaction Cl2 + 2KBr → 2KCl + Br2, chlorine gas is acting as an oxidizing agent since it is gaining electrons from bromide ions to form bromine gas. However, in the reaction 2Cl- + Cl2 → 2Cl2-, chlorine gas is acting as a reducing agent since it is losing electrons to form chloride ions.
- SO2 can act as an oxidizing agent when it gains electrons to form sulfite ions (SO32-), and it can act as a reducing agent when it loses electrons to form sulfur trioxide (SO3). For example, in the reaction SO2 + 2H2S → 3S + 2H2O, sulfur dioxide is acting as a reducing agent since it is losing electrons to form elemental sulfur. However, in the reaction 2SO32- + O2 → 2SO42-, sulfur dioxide is acting as an oxidizing agent since it is gaining electrons to form sulfate ions.
H2S (hydrogen sulfide) and NH3 (ammonia) are not likely to act as both oxidizing and reducing agents under normal conditions. H2S tends to act as a reducing agent by donating electrons to oxidizing agents, while NH3 tends to act as a reducing agent by donating electrons to oxidizing agents or as a base by accepting protons.