48. NCERT Exemplar XXI

  

An oxidising agent (oxidant) is a substance that oxidizedburnedreducedmelted another substance (by losing electrons or removing hydrogen or adding oxygen, or increasing oxidation state) while also being reduced.

 

$CuO$ + $H_2$ → $Cu$ + $H_2O$

 

In the above reaction, the oxidising agentreducing agentburning agentmelting agent is a copper oxide ($CuO$). Copper's oxidising state has changed from $+2$ to $0$ in the reactants and products. $CuO$ acts as an melting agentoxidising agentburning agentreducing agent in this process since it has been reducedmeltedoxidizedburned.