Explain what is meant by the following terms: i) Oxidising agent: ii) Displacement reaction: iii) Electronegativity

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Explain what is meant by the following terms: i) Oxidising agent: ii) Displacement reaction: iii) Electronegativity

i) Oxidising agent:

An oxidising agent is a reagent, either an element or compound that oxidises another species by removing and taking electrons from it and thus are themselves reduced.  We know that reduction is gain of electrons, therefore something which accepts electrons is said to be an oxidising agent as it is causing the reactant it is accepting electrons from to be oxidised, in which that reactant in question loses electrons in a reaction.  It is the non-metals which tend to be oxidising agents such as F2, Cl2, O2.  Oxidising agents are seen within redox reactions -in which reactant elements are both oxidised and reduced, effectively the charge on the elements is altered when the element possess an altered number of electrons when products.  

Oxidising agents are electron acceptor.  The halogens are very good oxidising agents due to their ability to accept electrons to form ionic halides,  elements such as the group 7, halogens, possess seven valence electrons, and are very keen to accept a further electron in their outer shell, this makes them excellent oxidising agents which possess high electron affinities.  Though their ability and strength as oxidising agent alters as the group is descended- more on this later.

Oxidising agents become reduced in the process of a reaction. Take the following reaction as our example:

2 Na + Cl2 = 2 Na Cl

           2 Na     +       Cl2       =      2 Na Cl

               0                0                    +1  -1

 

                                                                   0 = neutral oxidation state, uncharged.

                                                                 +1 = the oxidation state has risen, Na has become oxidised

                                                                 -1 = the oxidation state has reduced, Cl has become reduced

Therefore, because chlorine has been reduced, it has accepted electrons from the sodium, it is said to be an oxidising agent because it has caused the sodium to become oxidised in the process of the reaction by removing electron from it.

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The more electronegative an element the greater its ability to attract electrons and so the stronger an oxidising agent it will be.

ii) Displacement reaction:

In simple terms a displacement reaction is what it states it is.  An element- (strictly speaking an ion), within a compound is literally displaced from that compound within a reaction, and is replaced (displaced) by another (more reactive) element, (this normally occurs when the displaced element of the compound is in an aqueous state).  Essentially more reactive metals can compete with others , and  them from solution.

 

Displacement reactions are characterised by ...

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