An oxidising agent is a substance that
- A. loses electrons and is itself oxidised
- B. gains electrons and is itself reduced
- C. neither gains nor loses electrons
- D. always contains oxygen
Explanation
An oxidising agent oxidises something else by taking its electrons, so it is itself reduced in the process, and the same reasoning in reverse defines a reducing agent. Potassium permanganate and acidified potassium dichromate are common oxidising agents that contain oxygen, but chlorine is a strong oxidising agent with none, which disposes of the last option.
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