Concept:A reducing agent donates electrons to another species, meaning it undergoes oxidation itself.
Solution:- The strength of a reducing agent is inversely proportional to its standard reduction potential (and directly proportional to its oxidation potential).
- Alkali metals (Group 1), such as Sodium (Na), have extremely low (highly negative) reduction potentials because they eagerly want to lose their single valence electron to achieve a noble gas configuration.
- Among the given options, Sodium has the most negative reduction potential, making it the strongest reducing agent.
Why other options are incorrect:Chlorine is a non-metal and acts as a strong oxidizing agent. Magnesium and Aluminium are good reducing agents, but they are less reactive (less electropositive) than Sodium.
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