`Pb^(+4)`compounds are very good oxidising agents. Explain.

Explanation

To explain why \( \text{Pb}^{+4} \) compounds are very good oxidizing agents, we can break down the reasoning into a series of steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Definition of Oxidizing Agents**:
- An oxidizing agent is a substance that gains electrons in a chemical reaction and, in the process, causes another substance to be oxidized (lose electrons).

2. **Oxidation States of Lead**:
- Lead (Pb) can exist in multiple oxidation states, primarily \( \text{Pb}^{+2} \) and \( \text{Pb}^{+4} \).
- The oxidation state indicates how many electrons an atom has lost or gained.

3. **Stability of Oxidation States**:
- The \( \text{Pb}^{+4} \) state is less stable compared to the \( \text{Pb}^{+2} \) state. This instability is due to the inert pair effect, which is the tendency of the s-electrons to remain non-bonding in heavier elements.

4. **Reduction of \( \text{Pb}^{+4} \)**:
- Because \( \text{Pb}^{+4} \) is less stable, it has a strong tendency to gain electrons to revert to the more stable \( \text{Pb}^{+2} \) state. This process involves the reduction of \( \text{Pb}^{+4} \) to \( \text{Pb}^{+2} \) by gaining two electrons.

5. **Oxidizing Other Species**:
- While \( \text{Pb}^{+4} \) is being reduced to \( \text{Pb}^{+2} \), it simultaneously oxidizes other substances by accepting electrons from them. This is why \( \text{Pb}^{+4} \) compounds are considered good oxidizing agents.

6. **Conclusion**:
- Therefore, the ability of \( \text{Pb}^{+4} \) to readily gain electrons and convert to a more stable oxidation state makes it an effective oxidizing agent.