Oxidation and Reduction?

[Michelle Wang 4I]

Can someone explain what oxidation and reduction mean?

[juliasloan_4g]

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[juliasloan_4g]

Reduction means gaining an electron

[Chloe Thorpe 1J]

Oxidation is when electrons are lost by something, while reduction is gaining electrons. You can remember this using OIL RIG: Oxidation Is Loss, Reduction Is Gain.

[Nahelly Alfaro-2C]

Oxidation means the loss of electron. Reduction is the gain of an electron.

[Eva Guillory 2E]

In a redox reaction, oxidation involves a loss of electrons, and reduction involves a gain of electrons.

Some mnemonic devices that might be helpful include:

LEO the lion says GER, where LEO = Loss of Electrons is Oxidation and GER = Gain of Electrons is Reduction

OIL RIG, where OIL = Oxidation Is Loss (of Electrons) and RIG = Reduction Is Gain (of Electrons)

[Sophia Diaz - Dis 1B]

The best way I remember the difference is through the acronym OIL RIG.

Basically, Oxidation is the loss of electrons and Reduction is the gain of electrons.

When elements have an increase in charge, for example going from 2+ to 3+, it is losing electrons because the overall charge has become more positive (In this case, the positive charge is increasing). This is oxidation.

When elements have a decrease in charge, for example going from 1+ to 0, it is gaining electrons because the overall charge is become more negative (In this case, the positive charge is decreasing to zero). This is reduction.)

When writing them out in half reactions, Oxidation usually has electrons added on the right side while Reduction usually has electrons added on the left side.