Which element of the carbon family is commonly used as a reducing agent?
Carbon
Silicon
Germanium
Tin
Carbon is commonly used as a reducing agent, which donates electrons to another chemical species in a chemical reaction, causing that species to undergo a reduction in its oxidation state. This is used in the production of iron from iron ore, among other industrial applications. Silicon, germanium, and tin, while members of the carbon family, are not commonly used as reducing agents.