Question

If H2SO4 and HNO3 both are oxidising agents then why only H2SO4 is only preferrable? Explain. How can we determine better oxidising agent?

Answer 1

Why can H2SO4 only act as an oxidising agent?

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Jannat Varshney (जन्नत वार्ष्णेय), studied at University of Delhi (2017)

Answered May 9

Originally Answered: Why does H2SO4 act as an oxidizing agent?

In H2SO4, Sulphur exists in +6 oxidation state, this being the maximum for it if you check its electronic configuration. And it definitely takes a lot of energy to lose the 6 electrons to get a complete octet in S.

So it can't increase its oxidation state beyond this and tends to decrease it.

Further, oxidizing agent is one which tends to reduce itself and oxidize other.

Sulphur will get reduced to lower oxidation state of +4: usually stable , in oxidizing some other element.

Therefore, H2SO4 is a strong oxidizing agent.

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