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redox

redox

7 7.8
A chemical reaction where one substance gives electrons and another receives them
  • noun
  • /ˈrɛdɒks/
  • Specialized
translation icon : redox
  • In a redox reaction, electrons are transferred between two substances, resulting in one being oxidized and the other being reduced.
  • redox potential
  • redox conditions

Examples

  • The particulate matter collected from cigarette mainstream smoke has been shown to have complex redox behavior.

    Academic text (2018)
  • Additional experiments provided some of the first evidence that reaction centers in green sulfur bacteria were able to photoreduce an electron acceptor with a much lower redox potential than the quinone-iron acceptors in purple bacterial reaction centers.

    Academic text (2018)
  • And what happens is you have a redox reaction at the platinum end.

  • This is one of the two major redox cofactors in all biology.

  • And I'm going to make a sample of pure iron using a reaction which is known as once again a redox reaction.

  • Fuel cells function by capitalizing on the movement of the electrons that takes place in this redox reaction.

    Academic text (2010)
  • Methane production occurs at a redox potential lower than -0.3 V.

    Academic text (2000)
  • The accumulation of organic carbon in the soil influences redox potential and dissolved oxygen.

    Academic text (1998)
  • The most popular flow battery on the market uses vanadium redox technology, using charged vanadium in a dilute sulfuric acid solution to store energy.

    Academic text (2005)
  • Describing metabolic programs as either oxidative or glycolytic simplifies a complex relationship between cellular respiratory capacity, cellular redox requirements, cellular energetics, and fuel availability.

    Academic text (2016)

Synonyms

oxidation-reduction
vsredox
  • Specialized
1 4.7

A chemical reaction where one substance loses electrons and another gains electrons

is the short common label used instead of the hyphenated expression
oxidoreduction
vsredox
  • Specialized
9.9

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

is the short common label used instead of the full term

Surface Forms

redox singular
redoxes plural

Morphology

redox = reduction + oxidation (semi-transparent) = red + ox

Formed as a clipped blend of 'reduction' and 'oxidation'; the link is clear for learners with chemistry knowledge but the clipped parts ('red'/'ox') obscure the components for general learners.

Etymology

Redox is a short blend of reduction and oxidation. A reduction is when something 'gains' electrons and an oxidation is when something 'loses' electrons, so they always happen together and the name redox reminds us of the two linked actions.