Question

Give two
disadvantages of using carbon as a reducing agent

Answer 1

Carbon is in the List of convenient reducing agents, so it reduces metals easily. It can also reduce Zinc Oxide which cannot be reduced by other convenient reducing agents like CO, H2 or NH3.

However, when it has to reduce a metallic oxide, Carbon dioxide gas is evolved which leads to global warming. Moreover, Active metals like sodium, potassium, aluminium, magnesium, etc cannot be reduced by Carbon....they can only be reduced by electrolysis