REDOX question.. Am I being stupid????

[anonymuz]

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TopScore Bio #7, no idea why its in bio section but...

Q: In a redox reaction,
I chose "The oxidizing agent donates electrons"
My exmplanation.. taking for example something like:
Br+2 + 2e- -> Br
Br is is being reduced, which possibly means it it the oxidizing agent, no?


The answer is "The substance that is oxidized loses energy"

Can someone help me out. ******* moment for I

 

[rose786]

I don't think that Br in that rxn is an oxidizing agent because it's not oxidizing anything. There has to be something else to lose the electrons that an oxidizing agent will gain.

I think energy fits into it like this:
Oxid Agent = reduced = gain of electrons (or energy)
Reducing agent = oxidized = loss of electrons (or energy)

 

[chessxwizard]

The oxidizing agent doesn't donate electrons. It actually becomes reduced.

A compound is oxidized if it loses electrons.
A compound is reduced if it gains electrons.

An oxidizing agent performs the oxidation; that is, it gains electrons from the compound that is being oxidized.
A reducing agent donates the electrons to reduce a compound; therefore, it loses electrons.

Since "The oxidizing agent donates electrons" does not fit any of these definitions, the next best answer has to have something to do with the energy associated with the donation or acceptance of electrons, which rose786 emphasized.

Hope this helps! 👍

 

[doc toothache]

TopScore Bio #7, no idea why its in bio section but...

Q: In a redox reaction,
I chose "The oxidizing agent donates electrons"
My exmplanation.. taking for example something like:
Br+2 + 2e- -> Br
Br is is being reduced, which possibly means it it the oxidizing agent, no?


The answer is "The substance that is oxidized loses energy"

Can someone help me out. ******* moment for I

Bromine +2 gains two electrons to become bromine gas; it is reduced in the process and thus becomes a oxidizing agent.

 

[PSU SHC 414]

Bromine +2 loses two electrons to become bromine gas; it is oxidized in the process and thus becomes a reducing agent.

Umm... actually Bromine^2+ needs to gain 2 e- to bcome Br(g) (Bromine gas has an oxidation number of 0... like all elements in their natural state), so it is reduced, and thus is an oxidizing agent.

As was alluded to earlier, an oxidizing agent allows another species (call it element "A") to be oxidized (lose e-) and thus is reduced (gains e- that are lost from element A) itself in the process.

 

[PSU SHC 414]

TopScore Bio #7, no idea why its in bio section but...

Q: In a redox reaction,
I chose "The oxidizing agent donates electrons"
My exmplanation.. taking for example something like:
Br+2 + 2e- -> Br
Br is is being reduced, which possibly means it it the oxidizing agent, no?


The answer is "The substance that is oxidized loses energy"

Can someone help me out. ******* moment for I

To complete your question... An oxidized substance (NOT the same as the oxidizing reagent) loses energy because as we stated earlier, a substance that undergoes oxidation LOSES e-, which contain energy (remember E = hf; atomic orbitals; etc.)

Hope this makes it more clear for you...

 

[doc toothache]

Umm... actually Bromine^2+ needs to gain 2 e- to bcome Br(g) (Bromine gas has an oxidation number of 0... like all elements in their natural state), so it is reduced, and thus is an oxidizing agent.

As was alluded to earlier, an oxidizing agent allows another species (call it element "A") to be oxidized (lose e-) and thus is reduced (gains e- that are lost from element A) itself in the process.

You are right; asleep at the wheel.

Bromine +2 gains two electrons to become bromine gas; it is reduced in the process and thus becomes a oxidizing agent. (post corrected to avoid confusion)

 

[doc toothache]

Umm... actually Bromine^2+ needs to gain 2 e- to bcome Br(g) (Bromine gas has an oxidation number of 0... like all elements in their natural state), so it is reduced, and thus is an oxidizing agent.

As was alluded to earlier, an oxidizing agent allows another species (call it element "A") to be oxidized (lose e-) and thus is reduced (gains e- that are lost from element A) itself in the process.

In inorganic chemistry oxidation is the loss of electrons and the element is the reducing agent; reduction is the gain of electrons and the element is an oxidizing agent.