What are oxidising agents?

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Q. What are oxidising agents?

Jammu Kashmir JkboseJammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (Class 11) 2023Subjective· 1mImportance★★★★★

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Concept understanding — Oxidation Reduction

Let’s start with something you already know from everyday life.

The intuition: what does “oxidation” really mean?

Think of a piece of iron left out in the rain. Over time, it turns into reddish-brown rust. Or think of a slice of apple turning brown when you leave it on the table. Or a fire burning wood to ash. In all these cases, something is combining with oxygen — that’s the original meaning of “oxidation.” The iron combines with oxygen from the air to form iron oxide (rust). The apple’s chemicals react with oxygen in the air. The wood burns because carbon in the wood combines with oxygen.

So the first, simplest idea: oxidation = adding oxygen. And the reverse — taking oxygen away — was called reduction. For example, if you heat iron oxide with carbon, the carbon steals the oxygen away, leaving pure iron. That’s reduction: removing oxygen.

But chemists soon realised this was too narrow. Many reactions that look like oxidation-reduction don’t involve oxygen at all. For instance, when sodium metal reacts with chlorine gas to make table salt, no oxygen is involved — yet the sodium clearly “rusts” in a sense, and the chlorine “steals” something from it.

So the definition had to be broadened.

The precise modern definition: electron transfer

Here’s the clean, exam-ready statement:

Oxidation is the loss of electrons by a substance.

Reduction is the gain of electrons by a substance.

They always happen together — you cannot have one without the other. That’s why we call them redox reactions (short for reduction-oxidation).

Let’s see this with the sodium-chlorine example:

Sodium atom ( $\text{Na}$ ) loses one electron to become $\text{Na}^+$ . That’s oxidation.
Chlorine atom ( $\text{Cl}$ ) gains that electron to become $\text{Cl}^-$ . That’s reduction.

You can write the two halves separately:

\text{Na} \rightarrow \text{Na}^+ + e^- \quad (\text{oxidation})

\text{Cl} + e^- \rightarrow \text{Cl}^- \quad (\text{reduction})

Add them together:

\text{Na} + \text{Cl} \rightarrow \text{Na}^+ + \text{Cl}^-

That’s table salt.

Tip

A handy mnemonic: OIL RIG — Oxidation Is Loss (of electrons), Reduction Is Gain (of electrons).

How to spot a redox reaction without seeing electrons

You can’t watch electrons move directly. So chemists use oxidation numbers (also called oxidation states) — a bookkeeping system that tracks electrons.

Rules (simplified for first-time learners):

An atom in its elemental form has oxidation number 0.
A monatomic ion has oxidation number equal to its charge (e.g., $\text{Na}^+$ is +1, $\text{Cl}^-$ is -1).
Oxygen is usually -2 (except in peroxides).
Hydrogen is usually +1 (except in metal hydrides).
The sum of oxidation numbers in a neutral compound is 0; in a polyatomic ion, it equals the ion’s charge.

Then:

Oxidation = increase in oxidation number.
Reduction = decrease in oxidation number.

Example: Rusting of iron.

4\text{Fe} + 3\text{O}_2 \rightarrow 2\text{Fe}_2\text{O}_3

Fe starts at 0 (elemental). In $\text{Fe}_2\text{O}_3$ , each Fe is +3. So Fe’s oxidation number goes up from 0 to +3 → oxidation.
O starts at 0 (in $\text{O}_2$ ). In $\text{Fe}_2\text{O}_3$ , each O is -2. So O’s oxidation number goes down from 0 to -2 → reduction.

Watch out

A common mistake: thinking that “reduction” means something becomes smaller or less. It doesn’t — it’s about gaining electrons (or losing oxygen, in the old sense). The name comes from metallurgy: when you “reduce” iron ore to iron, you’re taking away oxygen, so the mass reduces.

One more way to think about it …

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Oxidising agents gain electrons and get reduced themselves, while causing the other reactant to lose electrons (get oxidised).

In the modern electronic concept of redox reactions, oxidation is loss of electrons and reduction is gain of electrons. Since electrons are transferred from one species to another in a redox reaction:

The species that gains electrons is reduced — this species is called the oxidising agent (or oxidant), because it causes the other species to be oxidised.
The species that loses electrons is oxidised — this species is called the reducing agent. …

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Same / Similar Concept — real previous-year questions on the same or a closely similar concept, not this exact question.

Showing the 12 most recent of 39 on this concept.

CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
$Q. Oxidation is defined as :$
(a) loss of protons
(b) gain of electrons
(c) loss of electrons
(d) gain of protons
›Reveal solutionSolution

Oxidation is the loss of electrons by an atom, ion, or molecule.

In classical terms, oxidation meant addition of oxygen or removal of hydrogen. The modern, more general electronic concept defines oxidation as any process in which a chemical species loses one or more electrons, causing its oxidation number to increase. For example, in Na → Na+ + e-, sodium is oxidised because it loses an electron.

…

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CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
$Q. Which of the following is a redox reaction ?$
(a) NaBr + HCl → NaCl + HBr
(b) HBr + AgNO3 → AgBr + HNO3
(c) H2 + Br2 → 2HBr
(d) Na2O + H2SO4 → Na2SO4 + H2O
›Reveal solutionSolution
H2 + Br2 → 2HBr is the redox reaction (oxidation states change).

A redox reaction requires a change in oxidation numbers.

(A) NaBr + HCl → NaCl + HBr: no change; double displacement.

(B) HBr + AgNO3 → AgBr + HNO3: precipitation, no change. …
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CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
$Q. Which of the following acts both as oxidising as well as reducing agent ?$
(a) H2S
(b) SO3
(c) SO2
(d) H2SO4
›Reveal solutionSolution
SO2 acts as both oxidising and reducing agent (S in intermediate +4 state).

An element in an intermediate oxidation state can be both oxidised and reduced.

In H2S, S = −2 (lowest) → only reducing agent.

In H2SO4/SO3, S = +6 (highest) → only oxidising agent. …
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CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
$Q. The reaction, Fe^3+ + 1e \to Fe^2+ is$
(a) Oxidation
(b) Reduction
(c) Both oxidation and reduction
(d) None of these
›Reveal solutionSolution

Fe^3+ + e → Fe^2+ is reduction (gain of electron).

Reduction is defined as gain of electrons or a decrease in oxidation number. Here Fe^3+ gains one electron to become Fe^2+, and its oxidatio …

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CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
$Q. In the reaction CuO(s) + H2(g) -> Cu(s) + H2O(g) oxidising agent is$
(a) CuO
(b) H2
(c) Cu
(d) H2O
›Reveal solutionSolution
The reactant that gets REDUCED is the oxidising agent (it oxidises the other species while itself being reduced); here CuO loses its oxygen and is reduced to Cu, making CuO the oxidising agent.

Reaction: CuO(s) + H2(g) -> Cu(s) + H2O(g)

Track oxidation states across the reaction:

Copper: in CuO, Cu is +2 (since O is -2 and the compound is neutral); in Cu(s), Cu is 0. Oxidation state DECREASES from +2 to 0 -> Cu is REDUCED.

Hydrogen: in H2(g), H is 0; in H2O, H is +1. Oxidation state INCREASES from 0 to +1 -> H is OXIDISED.

Definitions:

Oxidising agent: the species that gets reduced itself, while causing another species to be oxidised (it 'accepts' electrons) …
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CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
$Q. 3Mg(s) + N2(g) --(delta)--> Mg3N2(s) is$
(a) Decomposition reaction
(b) Combination reaction
(c) Displacement reaction
(d) Combustion reaction
›Reveal solutionSolution
Two elements combining to form one compound (A + B -> AB-type) is a combination (synthesis) reaction — here Mg and N2 combine to form Mg3N2.

Reaction: 3Mg(s) + N2(g) --(heat)--> Mg3N2(s)

Classify by the pattern of reactants and products:

Combination (synthesis) reaction: two or more substances combine to form a single product (A + B -> AB). Here, 3 moles of Mg metal and 1 mole of N2 gas combine directly into one product, Mg3N2 — matching this pattern exactly.

Decomposition reaction: one compound breaks down into two or more simpler substances (AB -> A + B) — the OPPOSITE of what happens here.

Displacement reaction: one element displaces another from a compound (A + BC -> AC + B) — not applicable, since there's no compound being displaced from here; both reactants are elements. …
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CBSE 2025Set sz1 markMCQ
$Q. Select the correct one: An oxidation process involves:$
(a) Increase in oxidation number
(b) Decrease in oxidation number
(c) Addition of electrons
(d) Removal of electronegative element
›Reveal solutionSolution

Oxidation is the process in which the oxidation number of an atom increases, corresponding to a loss of electrons.

In the modern (electronic) view of redox reactions, oxidation is loss of electrons by a species. Since oxidation number is assigned based on the (hypothetical) charge an atom would have if all bonds were fully ionic, losing electrons makes that charge more positive — i.e., the oxidation number increases. The reverse — decrease in oxidation number (gain of electrons) — is reduction, so option (B) and (C) describe reductio …

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CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
$Q. The oxidizing agent in the following reaction is Zn(s) + Cu2+(aq) -> Zn2+(aq) + Cu(s).$
(a) Zn(s)
(b) Cu2+(aq)
(c) Zn2+(aq)
(d) Cu(s)
›Reveal solutionSolution
Cu2+ gains electrons (is reduced) and therefore oxidizes Zn — Cu2+(aq) is the oxidizing agent.

An oxidizing agent is the species that gets reduced (gains electrons) while causing another species to be oxidized. Assigning oxidation states:

$Zn(s) \to Zn^{2+}(aq)$ : oxidation state of Zn goes from 0 to +2 → Zn loses 2 electrons → Zn is oxidized → Zn is the reducing agent. …
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CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 mark
$Q. The reaction Zn(s) -> Zn2+(s) + 2e- is an example of ______.$
›Reveal solutionSolution

Loss of electrons is oxidation; Zn(s) -> Zn2+(s) + 2e- shows zinc being oxidised (its oxidation state rises from 0 to +2).

By the electronic concept of redox reactions, oxidation is defined as the loss of one or more electrons by a species (its oxidation number increases), and reduction is the gain of electrons (oxidation number decreases). Here, elemental zinc (oxidation state 0) loses 2 electrons to form Zn2+ (oxidation state +2), so the oxidation state increases -- thi …

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CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 mark
$Q. Decrease in oxidation state of an element is reduction.$
›Reveal solutionSolution

The statement is True: reduction is defined as a decrease in the oxidation state of an element (gain of electrons).

By the modern (electronic) concept of redox reactions: oxidation = increase in oxidation number (loss of electrons); reduction = decrease in oxidation number (gain of electrons). So the sta …

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CBSE 2024Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
$Q. In the reaction, C + H2O \to CO + H2, H2O acts as$
(a) an oxidizing agent
(b) a reducing agent
(c) both (A) and (B)
(d) none of these
›Reveal solutionSolution

Water oxidizes carbon to CO while its own hydrogen is reduced (+1 → 0), so H2O acts as the oxidizing agent here.

In the water-gas reaction $C + H_2O \rightarrow CO + H_2$ : carbon goes from oxidation state 0 (in C) to +2 (in CO) — carbon is oxidized. Correspondingly, hydrogen in H2O goes from +1 to 0 (in H2) — hydrogen is reduced, while oxygen stays at −2 throughout (H2O to CO) …

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CBSE 2024Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
$Q. Which of the following acts both as an oxidizing and reducing agents?$
(a) H2S
(b) SO3
(c) H2O2
(d) H2SO4
›Reveal solutionSolution
H2O2's oxygen is in the intermediate −1 state, so it can act as both oxidizing and reducing agent depending on the reaction partner.

In H2O2, oxygen has oxidation state −1, midway between −2 (as in H2O) and 0 (as in O2). This means H2O2 can:

act as an oxidizing agent, being itself reduced to H2O (O: −1 → −2), e.g. oxidizing Fe²⁺ to Fe³⁺ or I⁻ to I2; …
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Q.What are oxidising agents?

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