Oxidation potential

Explanation

The table below shows a few reduction potentials, which can be changed to oxidation potentials by reversing the sign. Reducers donate electrons to (or "reduce") oxidizing agents, which are said to "be reduced by" the reducer. The reducer is stronger when it has a more negative reduction potential and weaker when it has a more positive reduction potential. The more positive the reduction potential, the greater the species' electron affinity and tendency to be reduced. The following table provides the reduction potentials of the indicated reducing agent at 25 °C. For example, among sodium (Na) metal, chromium (Cr) metal, cuprous (Cu) ion and chloride (Cl) ion, it is Na metal that is the strongest reducing agent while Cl ion is the weakest; said differently, Na ion is the weakest oxidizing agent in this list, while Cl₂ molecule is the strongest.