Oxidation-reduction
Oxidation-reduction (or-ksih-DAY-shun ree-DUHK-shun)
Oxidation-reduction (also known as redox) is a type of chemical reaction that involves a transfer of electrons between two species.
Etymology
The term "oxidation-reduction" comes from the two processes that occur in a redox reaction: oxidation and reduction. "Oxidation" is derived from the Latin "oxidare", meaning "to combine with oxygen", while "reduction" comes from the Latin "reducere", meaning "to bring back".
Definition
In an oxidation-reduction reaction, one reactant is oxidized (loses electrons), and another is reduced (gains electrons). The reactant that loses electrons is called the oxidizing agent, and the one that gains electrons is called the reducing agent.
Related Terms
- Oxidation: The process in a chemical reaction where a substance loses electrons.
- Reduction: The process in a chemical reaction where a substance gains electrons.
- Oxidizing agent: A substance that has the ability to oxidize other substances, meaning it causes them to lose electrons.
- Reducing agent: A substance that has the ability to reduce other substances, meaning it causes them to gain electrons.
- Electron: A subatomic particle that carries a negative electric charge.
- Chemical reaction: A process that leads to the transformation of one set of chemical substances to another.
Applications
Oxidation-reduction reactions have wide applications in various fields such as chemistry, biology, and industry. They are involved in many natural processes, including cellular respiration, photosynthesis, and combustion. In industry, they are used in processes such as the extraction of metals from their ores, electroplating, and energy production in batteries and fuel cells.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Oxidation-reduction
- Wikipedia's article - Oxidation-reduction
This WikiMD article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski