Video Transcript
Which of the following descriptions
can be used for an oxidizing agent? (1) Loses electrons, (2) gains
electrons, (3) donates oxygen, (4) removes hydrogen, (5) donates hydrogen or removes
oxygen. (A) 1, 2, and 5; (B) 1, 3, and 4;
(C) 2 and 5; (D) 2, 3, and 4; or (E) 1 and 5.
An oxidizing agent can be generally
defined as a substance that oxidizes another chemical species while being reduced
itself. But we can define oxidizing agent,
and therefore also reducing agent, oxidization, and reduction, in multiple ways,
either in terms of gain or loss of oxygen, hydrogen, or electrons. In terms of oxygen and hydrogen, an
oxidizing agent provides oxygen or removes hydrogen from a substance during a
chemical reaction. As it provides oxygen, we see that
(3), donates oxygen, is correct. And as it removes hydrogen, we see
that (4), removes hydrogen, is also correct.
Description (5), which is “donates
hydrogen or removes oxygen,” is the exact opposite to descriptions (3) and (4). So this is the description of a
reducing agent, not an oxidizing agent. Therefore, we can rule out
description (5) as it cannot be used for an oxidizing agent.
Now that we’ve addressed all
options concerning oxygen and hydrogen, let’s look at the description of an
oxidizing agent in terms of electrons. It is defined as a substance that
can gain electrons from another substance during a chemical reaction. As it can gain electrons, we can
see that description (2), gains electrons, can be used to describe an oxidizing
agent. Option (1), however, loses
electrons, is the opposite of this so is used to describe a reducing agent, not an
oxidizing agent.
As we’ve determined that options
(2), (3), and (4) are the correct descriptions used for an oxidizing agent, we can
select option (D) 2, 3, and 4 as the correct answer to this question.
