Asked in School SubjectsElements and CompoundsThe Difference Between
School Subjects
Elements and Compounds
The Difference Between
What is the difference between oxidation and reduction?
Answer

Wiki User
October 01, 2009 2:42PM
Answer
OIL RIG is the simple answer for REDOX. It shows that oxidation is loss of electrons while reduction is the gain of electrons. It is also that they both occur simultaneously, this is a couple reaction where the electrons lost by a reductant has to be gained by an oxidant. Oxidation is also the increase in oxidation number of the element being acted upon and reduction results in the decrease of the oxidation number on the element being reduced.
Related Questions
Asked in Chemistry, Elements and Compounds
What is the difference of oxidation and reduction?

At first it was said that oxidation was when there was a
reaction with oxygen and reduction was the reverse process. It was
also said that reduction was a reaction with hydrogen, but later on
a more general concept was developped saying that oxidation is when
an atom or ion loses electrons and reduction is when it gains
electrons.
Asked in Chemistry
How do you tell the difference between oxidation and reduction reactions?

Oxidation reaction is a process in which the atom or ion is
increasing its oxidation sate. This includes a loss of electrons.
Seen in the product side of a overall equation. The species that
are being oxidized are the reduction agents. Reduction reaction is
a process in which the atom or ion is decreasing its oxidation
state. This includes a gain of electrons. They are seen in the
reactants side through the overall equation.The species that are
being reduced are the oxidizing agents.
Asked in Chemistry, School Subjects, Elements and Compounds
Describe oxidation and reduction redox reactions?

Oxidation is the lose of electron/ proton or gain of oxygen and
Reduction is the gain of electron/proton or lose of oxygen.Redox
reactions are reactions in which oxidation and reduction take place
simultaneuosly.A short cut to remember oxidation and reduction is
"OIL RIG" ,oxidation is lose reduction is gain of
proton/electron.
A good example is the reaction between hydrogen and fluorineH2 +
F2 → 2 HF
We can write this overall reaction as two half-reactions: the
oxidation reaction:H2 → 2 H+ + 2 e− (loss of two electron)
and the reduction reaction:F2 + 2 e− → 2 F (gain of two
electron)