Given below are two statements. Statement I : Hydrogen peroxide can act as an oxidizing agent in both acidic and basic conditions. Statement II : Density of hydrogen peroxide at 298 K is lower than that of \(D_2O\). In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below :
To determine the validity of the statements regarding hydrogen peroxide (\(H_2O_2\)), let's analyze each one separately:
Statement I: Hydrogen peroxide can act as an oxidizing agent in both acidic and basic conditions.
Hydrogen peroxide is indeed known for its ability to act as both an oxidizing and a reducing agent. The conditions of the reaction (acidic or basic) determine its specific role.
In acidic conditions, \(H_2O_2\) can oxidize substances by accepting electrons, forming water or other oxygen-containing ions. For instance, it can oxidize iodide ions (\(I^-\)) to iodine (\(I_2\)).
In basic conditions, \(H_2O_2\) can also act as an oxidizing agent, releasing oxygen. An example of this is the oxidation of manganese (\(Mn^{2+}\)) to permanganate (\(MnO_4^-\)) in an alkaline medium.
Overall, hydrogen peroxide has the ability to oxidize compounds across a variety of pH levels, confirming Statement I as true.
Statement II: Density of hydrogen peroxide at 298 K is lower than that of \(D_2O\).
Hydrogen peroxide (\(H_2O_2\)) has a density of approximately 1.45 g/cm³ at 298 K.
Heavy water (\(D_2O\)), which contains deuterium instead of normal hydrogen, has a density of around 1.107 g/cm³ at 298 K.
Comparing the two densities, it is evident that \(H_2O_2\) has a higher density than \(D_2O\).
Thus, Statement II is false, as it incorrectly states that the density of \(H_2O_2\) is lower than that of \(D_2O\).
Given this analysis, the correct answer is: Statement I is true but Statement II is false.
