What are the characteristics of reducing and oxidizing agents?

Question

What are the characteristics of reducing and oxidizing agents?

Answer 1

oxidizers are materials that can attract electrons with stronger force, & thus are likely to take electrons.  perhaps it is due to the size of the atom, # of shells of it's electrons, & # of positives in its nucleus.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronega...

reducers are materials that have a lesser force which which to hold its electrons, & thus are likely to lose electrons.

perhaps it is due to the distance its outer electrons are from the nucleus (atomic radius), the # of protons in the nucleus to hold those electrons, & the # of shells of electrons in between.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroposi...