Why is acidic medium required for the oxidising action of potassium dicromate?t

Dear Student,

The dichromate has to be reduced to half reaction for acting as oxidising agent , for performance of half reaction are influenced by acidic medium by lowering pH to less than 7 from its neutral state and its reaction scheme is shown below as where H⁺ acts as reactant.

$C{r}_2{O_7}^{2-}\left(aq\right) + 14H^{+} \left(aq\right) + 6e^{-} \to 2 C{r}^{3+}\left(aq\right) + 7H_{2}O\left(l\right)$

Regards.