Zinc metal is a stronger reducing agent than copper metal, meaning that, under identical conditions, more energy is released by oxidizing one mole of zinc metal to Zn 2+ than is released by oxidizing ...Zinc metal is a stronger reducing agent than copper metal, meaning that, under identical conditions, more energy is released by oxidizing one mole of zinc metal to Zn 2+ than is released by oxidizing a mole of copper metal to Cu 2+ . Therefore, the transfer of two electrons from zinc metal to Cu 2+ is a thermodynamically downhill process, whereas the transfer of two electrons from copper metal to Zn 2+ is thermodynamically uphill.
