Given below are 2 statements: one Assertion and the other Reason. Which one of the following options is correct? Assertion: Sulphur dioxide and Hydrogen peroxide can act as both oxidising and reducing agents but Nitric acid can act as only oxidising agent. Reason: Sulphur and Oxygen can exhibit more than one stable oxidation states while Nitrogen does not.

Step-by-step solution

Sulphur dioxide ( SO₂ ) contains sulphur in the +4 oxidation state. Since the maximum oxidation state of sulphur is +6 and the minimum is -2 , it can be oxidised to +6 or reduced to lower states, thus acting as both an oxidising and reducing agent. Hydrogen peroxide ( H₂O₂ ) contains oxygen in the -1 oxidation state. It can be oxidised to O₂ ( 0 state) or reduced to H₂O ( -2 state), acting as both an oxidising and reducing agent. Nitric acid ( HNO₃ ) contains nitrogen in its maximum oxidation state of +5 . It can o