Question

Identify the reducing agent in the following reaction:
${F_2}\; + \;{H_2}O\; \to \;HOF\; + \;HF$

Answer 1

Hint : Redox is a chemical process that involves changing the oxidation states of atoms. The actual or formal transfer of electrons between chemical species is defined by redox reactions, which usually include one species (the reducing agent) suffering oxidation (losing electrons) while another species (the oxidising agent) experiences reduction (gains electrons)

Complete Step By Step Answer:
Many organic reactions are redox reactions because they include changes in oxidation levels but no clear electron transfer. For example, when wood is burned with molecular oxygen, the oxidation state of carbon atoms in the wood increases while the oxidation state of oxygen atoms drops, resulting in the formation of carbon dioxide and water. The oxygen atoms go through reduction and gain electrons, whereas the carbon atoms go through oxidation and lose electrons. In this reaction, oxygen is the oxidising agent and carbon is the reducing agent.
The chemical species that loses an electron is said to have been oxidised, whereas the chemical species that gains an electron is said to have been reduced. To put it another way.
The loss of electrons or a rise in the oxidation state of an atom, an ion, or specific atoms in a molecule is referred to as oxidation.
The gain of electrons or a drop in the oxidation state of an atom, an ion, or specific atoms in a molecule is referred to as reduction (a reduction in oxidation state).
In ${F_2}\; + \;{H_2}O\; \to \;HOF\; + \;HF$
${F_2}$ is oxidised to HOF in the described process by acquiring a hydrogen atom. As a result of its oxidation, ${F_2}$ acts as a reducing agent.

Note :
Similar to acid–base reactions, oxidation and reduction occur concurrently and cannot occur independently of one another. Because two half-reactions usually occur together to produce a full reaction, oxidation and reduction are each called a half-reaction. In order to balance the half-reaction in terms of electric charge, the acquired or lost electrons are usually explicitly mentioned when writing half-reactions. When the half-reactions are combined to form the net chemical equation, the electrons cancel out.