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Oxidizing Agents/Reducing Agents   A couple more definitions/explanations, and we are done: When a substance causes oxidation it is said to be an oxidizing agent. The oxidizing agent is, itself reduced. The reducing agent is, itself, oxidized. Remember the reactions we examined on the previous page? For these examples: Iron is oxidized and is the reducing agent because it causes copper to be reduced. Cu2+ is reduced and is the oxidizing agent because it causes iron to be oxidized. Likewise, methane is the reducing agent, and oxygen the oxidizing agent in the first reaction.

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