Chemistry
Explain the following:
The reducing power of an element increases down in the group while decreases in a period.
Periodic Table
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Answer
Greater the tendency to lose electrons, stronger is the reducing power. On moving down the group, the atomic size and nuclear charge increases but the effect of increased atomic size is greater. Therefore, the tendency to lose electrons increases which increases the reducing power of elements on moving down in a group.
On moving across the period, nuclear pull increases due to increase in atomic number and thus the atomic size decreases. Hence, elements cannot lose electrons easily. Therefore, reducing power of elements decreases on moving across a period from left to right.
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