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Glite Dictionary
oxidation-reduction

oxidation-reduction

1 4.7
A chemical reaction where one substance loses electrons and another gains electrons
  • noun
  • /ˌɑksɪˈdeɪʃən rɪˈdʌkʃən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : oxidación-reducción
  • Oxygen is necessary for the function of the PEM cell because it provides the oxidant required to complete the oxidation-reduction reaction that takes place in the fuel cell.
  • oxidation-reduction reaction

Examples

  • So this enzyme does a lot of different oxidation reduction reactions.

  • The production of electricity happens through an electrochemical process known in science as an oxidation-reduction (redox) reaction, which takes place at the anode and cathode of the fuel cell.

    Academic text (2010)

  • Never really interested since I know how to do a simple oxidation-reduction reaction on pseudo, but just don't have the proper equipment anymore.

    Blog text (30)

  • And NADPH plays a key role in the cell because that's an oxidation reduction reaction in keeping glutathione in the reduced form.

  • The rusting of iron is an example of an oxidation-reduction reaction, commonly referred to as a redox reaction.

  • During cellular respiration, glucose undergoes an oxidation-reduction reaction, where it is oxidized to produce energy.

  • In a battery, the flow of electrons during discharge is driven by an oxidation-reduction reaction between the chemicals involved.

Synonyms

redox
vsoxidation-reduction
  • Specialized
7 7.8

A chemical reaction where one substance gives electrons and another receives them

is defined as a reversible process emphasizing oxidation and its reverse reduction
oxidoreduction
vsoxidation-reduction
  • Specialized
9.9

A chemical change when one substance loses electrons and another gains them

is the same reaction but stresses that the processes reverse each other

Surface Forms

oxidation-reduction singular
oxidation-reductions plural

Morphology

oxidation-reduction = oxidation + reduction (transparent) = oxidation + reduction

The term is a direct compound of the two nouns 'oxidation' and 'reduction' and denotes the paired chemical processes, so its meaning follows directly from its parts for learners who know those terms.

Etymology

Oxidation-reduction joins two older ideas: oxidation comes from oxygen, a name early scientists used because they thought it 'made acids', so oxidation once meant 'adding oxygen', and reduction comes from a root meaning 'to bring back' or 'make smaller', so it meant the opposite. So, an oxidation-reduction reaction is a pair of linked changes where one part is oxidized and the other is reduced — they happen together.