In the reaction between sodium and chlorine, sodium is oxidised, which means chlorine:
AIs also oxidised
BStays entirely unchanged
CActs as a spectator
DUndergoes reduction
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: D. Undergoes reduction
1. Oxidation and reduction always occur together in a redox process.
2. One species loses electrons and another gains them.
3. In this reaction, then, sodium is oxidized and chlorine undergoes reduction.
4. If both were oxidised, there would be nowhere for the electrons to go.
5. Some redox processes do not involve a clean transfer of electrons, but this one does.
_Source: OpenStax Chemistry 2e (CC BY 4.0), Ch 4 'Stoichiometry of Chemical Reactions', sections 4.1-4.5_
Keep practising Stoichiometry of Chemical Reactions
Browse all Stoichiometry of Chemical Reactions questions for AP Chemistry, or explore more Chemistry topics.
Related questions
Match each equation type to its detailComplete the acid-base ruleTrue or false: writing equationsSort each reaction by its typeReactant or product?Reach the net ionic equationOrdering the three ways of writing a reaction from most to least detail about ions gives:When one element appears in more than one formula on the same side of an equation, you mus