Question

In a table of standard reduction potentials, the strongest oxidizing agents are the _ (blank) _ species in the half-reactions with the _ (blank) _ E° values.

a. reduced, most negative

b. oxidized, most positive

c. reduced, most positive

d. oxidized, most negative

e. none of these

Answer 1

An oxidizing agent is a chemical species that oxidizes another chemical species in a redox reaction and itself gets reduced. Since an oxidizing agent is itself reduced in a redox reaction, hence, the oxidizing agent must have a higher oxidation state than its reduced form.

A high positive value of the standard reduction potential indicates that it is easy to reduce the element. Infact, elements with positive values of the reduction potential tend to be reduced to the lower oxidation state. Thus, in the electrochemical series of elements, the strongest oxidizing agents are the oxidized species in the half-reactions with the most positive E⁰ values. Therefore, (b) is the correct answer.