How do you find the oxidizing agent in a reaction?
1 Answer
Aug 19, 2017
The oxidizing agent is FORMALLY the species that is reduced.........
Explanation:
See this old answer for the formal rules of oxidation numbers. We conceive that a species, an atom LOSES electron upon oxidation.
And thus for the oxidation of methane.....
We can put in oxidation numbers if we like.....
A formal EIGHT electron oxidation.
We could formalize this process even further by writing the separate redox reactions: