Asked by ny

Identify the stronger oxidizing agent from the pair listed.

Mg2+ or Mn2

Mg2+

Mn2+
Reducing Agent

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
Mn2+ is the stronger oxidizing agent.

Reason: the species with the more positive (less negative) standard reduction potential is the better oxidizing agent (more readily reduced).
E°(Mn2+ + 2e– → Mn) ≈ −1.18 V
E°(Mg2+ + 2e– → Mg) ≈ −2.37 V

Because Mn2+ has the higher (less negative) reduction potential, it is more easily reduced and so is the stronger oxidizing agent. Conversely, metallic Mg (Mg → Mg2+ + 2e–) is the stronger reducing agent.