2 powerful reducing agents/2 powerful oxidizing agents. Please help!?

Question

Of all common elements, list two that would be powerful reducing agents. List two that would be powerful oxidizing agents. Give reasons for your choices.

Answer 1

For pure elements:

Reducing agents: sodium, potassium, calcium, any other group I or II metal or most lanthanides and actinides.  The group I and II metals can reach the very stable noble gas electron configuration (all shells are filled) by losing 1 or 2 electrons respectively.  Because they lose these electrons readily to other atoms, they reduce these atoms easily.

Oxidizing agents:

Fluorine (the MOST powerful), oxygen.  These atoms can reach noble gas configuration by gaining 1 or 2 electrons from other atoms.  When they remove these electrons, they oxidize the other atoms, so they are good oxidizing agents.