Oxidizing and Reducing agent

Okay guys, this section is a VERY ENGLISH section, more than Chemistry, I feel. So you got to take it slow.

An oxidizing agent is one that oxidises the other species.

e.g. Fe + CuSO4 --> Cu + FeSO4

Thus, the oxidizing agent is CuSO4 as it oxidises Fe. The oxidation state of Fe inceases from 0 to +2.

Likewise, a reducing agent is one that reduces the other species.

And for the equation above, the reducing agent is Fe which reduces Cu in CuSO4. The oxidation state of Cu decreases from +2 to 0.

As you can see, in a redox reaction there will be reduction and oxidation, but this would mean that there would be one reducing agent and one oxidizing agent too!

To confuse you further, an oxidizing agent will be the one that is reduced, while a reducing agent is the one that is oxidised. It all makes sense, just think about it.

PS: Don't you just love English? :p

Famous Oxidizing agents:

Potassium Dichromate (VI) - turns from orange to green (when it is reduced)
Potassium Manganate (VII) - turns from purple to colourless (when it is reduced)

Famous Reducing agents:

Sulphur dioxide
Potassium Iodide - turns from colourless to brown (when it is oxidised)

Oxidizing agents are good for testing reducing agent, cos when reducing agents reduce them, they change colour. Likewise, reducing agents (except sulphur dioxide) are used to test for oxidizing agents cos they change colour when the oxidised by oxidizing agents.

Hahahahahahha... Go figure... you have 2 and half months to do so... :p