Question

Zinc oxide reacts with carbon, on heating to form zinc metal and carbon monoxide. Write a balanced chemical equation for this reaction. Name 

(i) Oxidising agent 

(ii) The reducing agent in this reaction.

Answer 1

The reaction mentioned in the question is as follows: 

ZnO + C \(\overset{heat}\longrightarrow\) Zn + CO

The oxidising agent is the substance which oxidises other substance and gets reduced. 

Reducing agent is the substance which reduces other substance and gets oxidised. 

i) In the reaction zinc oxide (ZnO) is oxidising agent as it oxidises the carbon to carbon monoxide (CO) and zinc oxide gets reduced to zinc. 

ii) Carbon is the reducing agent as it reduces zinc oxide to zinc and gets oxidised to carbon monoxide.