Which is an oxidising as well as a reducing agent in the following?

Options

A. `Na_(2)O_(2)`
B. `Na_(2)O`
C. `SnCl_(4)`
D. `NaNO_(2)`

Answer

To determine which compound acts as both an oxidizing agent and a reducing agent, we can analyze the oxidation states of the elements in the given compounds.

**Step 1: Identify the Compounds**
We need to analyze the compounds provided in the question. The compounds mentioned are sodium peroxide (Na2O2), tin(IV) chloride (SnCl4), and sodium nitrite (NaNO2).

**Step 2: Determine Oxidation States**
- For sodium peroxide (Na2O2):
- Sodium (Na) has an oxidation state of +1.
- Oxygen (O) in peroxides has an oxidation state of -1.

- For tin(IV) chloride (SnCl4):
- Tin (Sn) has an oxidation state of +4.
- Chlorine (Cl) has an oxidation state of -1.

- For sodium nitrite (NaNO2):
- Sodium (Na) has an oxidation state of +1.
- Nitrogen (N) can be calculated as follows: let the oxidation state of N be x. The equation would be:
\( 1 + x + 2(-2) = 0 \)
which simplifies to \( x - 3 = 0 \) or \( x = +3 \).
- Oxygen (O) has an oxidation state of -2.

**Step 3: Analyze Each Compound**
- Sodium peroxide (Na2O2) can only act as a reducing agent because sodium cannot be oxidized beyond +1.
- Tin(IV) chloride (SnCl4) can act only as an oxidizing agent because it cannot be reduced further than +4.
- Sodium nitrite (NaNO2) has nitrogen in the +3 oxidation state, which can be oxidized to +5 (acting as a reducing agent) or reduced to +2, +1, or 0 (acting as an oxidizing agent).

**Step 4: Conclusion**
From the analysis, we conclude that sodium nitrite (NaNO2) is the compound that can act as both an oxidizing agent and a reducing agent due to the variable oxidation states of nitrogen.

**Final Answer: Sodium nitrite (NaNO2) is both an oxidizing and reducing agent.**

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