ChemistryChapter 7: Electrochemistry

7.1 Oxidation-Reduction in Terms of Loss or Gain of Oxygen, Hydrogen or Electrons

**Redox reactions** are reactions that involve simultaneous oxidation and reduction

This topic introduces redox reactions — reactions involving oxidation and reduction — and explains them in three different ways: in terms of oxygen, hydrogen, and electrons.

Definition

Redox reactions are reactions that involve simultaneous oxidation and reduction.

Simple explanation: In a redox reaction, one substance is oxidized and another is reduced at the same time.

The book defines redox reactions in terms of:

Transfer of oxygen
Transfer of hydrogen
Transfer of electrons
Changes in oxidation state

Main Idea

Oxidation and reduction can be defined in three different ways:

Definition	Oxidation	Reduction
Oxygen	Gain of oxygen	Loss of oxygen
Hydrogen	Loss of hydrogen	Gain of hydrogen
Electrons	Loss of electrons	Gain of electrons

Simple explanation: Oxidation and reduction are opposite processes — one substance loses something, another gains it.

Core Concept

Memory Trick

Oxidation Is Loss (of electrons)
Reduction Is Gain (of electrons)

Simple explanation: Oxidation = loss; Reduction = gain.

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