Question

Consider the reaction of water with $F_{2}$ and suggest, in terms of oxidation and reduction which species are oxidised/ reduced?

Answer 1

The oxidation state of oxidizing agent becomes reduced and oxidation state of reducing agent becomes oxidized.

The reaction between water and fluorine is as follows.

$2{ H }_{ 2 }O\quad +\quad 2{ F }_{ 2 }\quad \rightarrow \quad 4HF\quad +\quad { O }_{ 2 }$

From the above equation,

It is clearly states that ${ H }_{ 2 }O$  is getting oxidized to ${ O }_{ 2 }$

And ${ F }_{ 2 }$  is getting reduced to HF.

Therefore, ${ H }_{ 2 }O$ is reducing agent while HF is oxidizing agent.