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Chemical-Reducing Agents
Chemistry (CHM104)
Rockland Community College
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Chemical Reducing Agents - A reducing agent is a substance that donates electrons to another substance in a chemical reaction. - This causes the other substance to be reduced, or to gain electrons. - In other words, a reducing agent is itself oxidized in the process of reducing another substance. - Reducing agents are important in many different fields, such as chemistry, biology, and materials science. - They are used in many different types of chemical reactions, such as redox reactions, acid-base reactions, and catalysis. - In redox reactions, reducing agents are used to reduce other substances by donating electrons. - For example, in the reaction between copper (Cu) and silver nitrate (AgNO3), copper is oxidized and silver is reduced: Cu(s) + 2AgNO3(aq) → Cu(NO3)2(aq) + 2Ag(s) - In this reaction, copper is the reducing agent, because it donates two electrons to the silver ions in the silver nitrate, which reduces them to silver metal. - Reducing agents are also important in many different types of catalysis. - In catalysis, a catalyst is used to speed up a chemical reaction by lowering the activation energy. - Many different types of catalysts are used in oxidation reactions, such as enzymes, metals, and metal complexes.
- Overall, reducing agents are a useful tool for understanding the reactivity of different elements and compounds, and for predicting the products of chemical reactions.
Chemical-Reducing Agents
Course: Chemistry (CHM104)
University: Rockland Community College
