A reducing agent (also called a reductant) is a substance that causes another substance to be reduced.
Key Points:
- It does this by donating electrons to the other substance.
- Since it loses electrons, the reducing agent itself is oxidized in the reaction.
- Good reducing agents are usually metals or compounds rich in hydrogen.
Examples in simple words:
- Hydrogen gas: It reduces copper oxide to copper by giving electrons.
- Carbon or carbon monoxide: Used in metallurgy to reduce metal oxides to metals.
- Sodium and potassium metals: Strong reducing agents that easily lose electrons.