Abstract: There are provided, for example, a reducing agent that can be used in a chemical looping method, a method of producing a gas using such a reducing agent and a method of increasing conversion efficiency, through which the efficiency of converting carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide is high. The reducing agent of the present invention is a reducing agent that produces valuables containing carbon by reducing carbon dioxide, including a granular support having a plurality of pores and an angle of repose of 45° or more and an oxygen carrier which is supported on the support and has oxygen ion conductivity. In addition, in the reducing agent of the present invention, the support preferably has an average pore size of 0.1 nm or more.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus detects a oscillating state of a oscillation system with a oscillation detector and controls oscillation of the oscillation system such that the oscillation system oscillates a reflective member in a balanced steady state by adjusting a drive force of a drive unit with one or more drive control parameter values on the basis of the detection result obtained by the oscillation detector. When the balanced steady state is detected, the drive control parameter values are stored and are used when an exposure unit is reactivated.