Question

Write "oxidation" before the reaction below which is anoxidation reaction; write "reduction" before the reaction belowwhich is a reduction reaction.
a.____________________ Na----> Na+ (small+) + e-
b.____________________ Cl + e- ----> Cl-
What does it mean when chemists say that a reactant isreduced?
What does it mean when chemists say that a reactant is areducing agent?
Is Francium (Fr) likely to be reduced in a chemical reaction?Would it be easy or difficult to separate Francium from ores? Explain your reasoning

Answer 1

losing an electron is oxidation
gaining an electron is reduction.

a reducing agent is oxidized.

Fr can easily lose an electron. Now separating it is another question, as there is only 2 ounces worldwide of this element at any one time. The longest life isotope of this element is 22 min. Never since discovery (1949, I think) has any weighable amount been produced. I rate this question unanswerable.

Answer 2

It would be difficult to separate Francium from ores. Francium is on the bottom left of the periodic table, therefore it loses electrons easily making it very difficult to give it the electrons necessary to separate it from ores