8.12. How do you account for the following observations?
(a) Though alkaline potassium permanganate and acidic potassium permanganate both are used as oxidants, yet in the manufacture of benzoic acid from toluene we use alcoholic potassium permanganate as an oxidant. Why? Write a balanced redox equation for the reaction.

(b) When concentrated sulphuric acid is added to an inorganic mixture containing chloride, we get colourless pungent smelling gas HCl, but if the mixture contains bromide then we get red vapour of bromine. Why?

How many of these compounds will undergo disproportionation on hydrolysis? CO?, NO?, Cl?, F?, ClO?, Cl?O?, N?O?, SO?, P?O??

40. Best reducing agent is:
(a) He              (b) Be           (c) Li            (d) Al

37. Which element is considered to have oxidation number of +3 in all its compounds?

(a) Be              (b) Li             (c) Al         (d) Sc

36. Oxidation number ofS in S₂O₈^-2 is

(a) -2           (b) -6           (c) +2          (d) +6

32. Assertion: Na⁺ ion has an oxidation number of +1, Mg²⁺ ion, +2, Fe³⁺ ion, +3, Cl^– ion, –1, O^2– ion, –2; and so on.

Reason: For ions composed of only one atom, the oxidation number is equal to the charge on the ion.