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A reaction in which two or even more reagents combine to generate one or more distinct compounds is known as a product. Chemical elements or compounds are the elements or key features that combine to give us a product.
A chemical reaction causes the individual atoms of the reactants to rearrange, resulting in the production of products. The physical attributes of the reactants differ from that of the products. Chemical reactions occur in the environment, such as iron rusting or wine fermentation.
In chemistry and organic chemistry, numerous chemical reactions and processes occur. Reduction is one of the most basic and important reactions and processes. In this article, we will explore the various kinds of reducing agents in chemistry and also some reducing agents examples.
What do you mean by reduction?
Reduction in chemistry can be defined as converting an atom that possesses a higher oxidation number or level to a lower oxidation number or level as the transformation process takes place.
A reduction reaction starts with a decrease in oxidation and an electron gain. In simple words, a reduction reaction is generally associated with the chemical molecule losing oxygen or gaining hydrogen of a metallic element/ion. These are the inverse reactions of oxidation processes.
Reducing Agent
A reducing agent is a chemical substance or a compound that loses an electron or electron pair to another receiver or chemical substance. This receiver is the oxidising agent. Thus, the reducing agents are also called a reducer, reductant, or electron donor/giver.
A reducing agent’s state of oxidation or the oxidation number or level increases. On the other hand, the oxidation or the oxidation number or level decreases for an oxidising agent. Thus, the reducing agents are often known to reduce the oxidising party by lowering their oxidation state. In contrast, oxidising agents are commonly known for oxidising the reducing agents with an increase in their oxidation state.
A good reducing agent consists of the atoms with a lower electronegativity and a good tendency to pull closer the electrons that are bonding and thus possess very low energy of ionisation.
A piece of additional information we have here is that the metals present in the s-block of the periodic table are commonly referred to as ‘good reducing agents.
Some Common Reducing Agents Examples
- Carbon (C)
- Carbon monoxide (CO)
- Hydrogen (H2)
- Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S)
- Metals
- Potassium Iodide (KI)
- Sulphur dioxide (SO2)
- Ammonia (NH3)
Properties of a Reducing Agents in Chemistry
- Reducing agents themselves undergo oxidation and donate their electrons to other elements or atoms in a reduction reaction or redox reaction, thus allowing the other reactant to go through reduction by letting it gain electrons.
- As a result of the loss of electrons, the reducing agents lose some of their negative charges.
- The stronger the reducing agent, the greater the potential to lose electrons. This is due to the reducing agents powerfully transferring electrons to the other chemical substances.
Difference between a Reducing Agent and an Oxidising
Reducing Agent | Oxidising Agent |
There is an increase in the state of oxidation of the atom or substance. | There is a decrease in the state of oxidation of the atom or substance. |
It loses electrons and undergoes the process of oxidation. | It gains electrons and undergoes the process of reduction. |
It undergoes oxidation. | It undergoes reduction. |
Helps another reactant to undergo reduction | Helps another reactant to undergo oxidation. |
It acts as a donor or giver of electrons, electrons. |
It acts as a receiver of electrons, electrons. |
For Example- Carbon (C), Carbon monoxide (CO), Hydrogen (H2), Metals, etc. | For Example- Sulphuric acid (H2SO4), Nitrous oxide (N2O), Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), Oxygen (O2), etc. |
The ‘OIL RIG’ Concept of Reduction
The oil rig concept may be used to learn about oxidation and reduction today. It only works with electrons and not with oxygen or hydrogen. It is a simple abbreviation or technique for determining and remembering which elements are oxidised and reduced. The oil rig stands for Oxidation Is Loss and Reduction Is Electron Gain.
This is a useful shorthand for the terms loss of electrons or gain of electrons. If an atom receives an electron or loses an electron, it becomes an ion. This process is defined by whether an atom has shed (oxidation) or acquired (reduction) one electron.
Applications of Reducing Agents
- Reducing agents are active substances that are widely used in bakery processes at the mixing step to modify the properties of doughs for the making of bread.
- Reducing agents are used for the Analysis of Electro chemicals and in reduction reactions.
- In the process of formation of magnesium and chromium.
- Reducing agents are also used in the production of rare-earth metals.
Conclusion
A student who wishes to professionalise in Chemistry must know all about the details of this topic and in-depth. Reduction is an essential reaction that naturally occurs in the environment around us and has its advantages and disadvantages.
The concept of Reduction and Reducing Agents and the various other concepts related to reduction are discussed in the above-given module. This module even tells us a simple way to remember the definition and concept of reduction by the OILRIG methodology.
Reducing agents are also used for various other processes in the day-to-day world, like bakery processes at the mixing step to modify the properties of doughs for the making of bread and the production of chemical elements like chromium and magnesium.
