Oxidation is the loss of electrons or increase in oxidation state of a chemical species in a chemical reaction. Oxidation and reduction are two types of chemical reactions that go hand-in-hand to form redox reactions.
Oxidation is the loss of electrons or an increase in the oxidation state, while reduction is the gain of electrons or a decrease in the oxidation state. The oxidation and reduction processes occur simultaneously in the chemical reaction.
Oxidation is a chemical reaction that involves the loss of electrons by an atom, ion, or molecule. It is a fundamental concept in the study of redox (reduction-oxidation) reactions, which are essential to a wide variety of chemical and biological processes.
During a redox reaction, some species undergo oxidation, or the loss of electrons, while others undergo reduction, or the gain of electrons. For example, consider the reaction between iron and oxygen to form rust: In this reaction, neutral Fe loses electrons to form Fe A 3 + ions and neutral O A 2 gains electrons to form O A 2 ions.
Oxidation occurs when an atom, molecule, or ion loses one or more electrons in a chemical reaction. When oxidation occurs, the oxidation state of the chemical species increases. Oxidation doesn't necessarily involve oxygen! Originally, the term was used when oxygen caused electron loss in a reaction. The modern definition is more general.
Oxidation is the loss of hydrogen. Reduction is the gain of hydrogen. Notice that these are exactly the opposite of the oxygen definitions (#1). For example, ethanol can be oxidized to ethanal: An oxidizing agent is required to remove the hydrogen from the ethanol.