Question

Identify which one is the oxidizing agent in this reaction:

2 KNO3 (s) → 2 KNO2 (s) + O2 (g)

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Answer 1

Nitrogen atom

Step-by-step explanation:

• Oxidation and reduction in a equation can be shown using oxidation numbers.
• Oxidation number of Oxygen in KNO3 is -2 while in O2 is 0; this indicates reduction.
• Oxidation number of Nitrogen (N) in KNO3 is + 5, while in KNO2 is +3 , this indicates oxidation.

Hence;

• Nitrogen has undergone reduction while oxygen has undergone oxidation and therefore, nitrogen is the oxidizing agent and oxygen is the reducing agent.