JEE Main · 2019 · 10 Jan 2019 · Shift 1 · Hydrogen

The chemical nature of hydrogen peroxide is

(A)oxidising agent in acidic medium, but not in basic medium
(B)reducing agent in basic medium but not in acidic medium
(C)oxidising and reducing agent in acidic medium but not in basic medium
(D)oxidising and reducing agent in both acidic and basic medium✓ Correct

Answer: (D)

Solution

The oxygen in hydrogen peroxide sits at the in-between oxidation state of

- 1

, so it can be pushed up to

0

, acting as a reducing agent, or down to

- 2

, acting as an oxidising agent. Because both routes are open,

H X_{2} O X_{2}

behaves as both an oxidising and a reducing agent, and it does so in acidic as well as in basic media. Its dual, medium-independent redox character is exactly what that intermediate oxidation state allows.

JEE Main · 2019 · 10 Jan 2019 · Shift 1 · Single correct option

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