Oxidation and Reduction Reactions

📚 Key Concepts

🔹 Real-Life Example

When iron rusts, it combines with oxygen from the air to form iron oxide (rust). The iron loses electrons and gets oxidized, while oxygen gains electrons and gets reduced. In your body, when you breathe, glucose gets oxidized to provide energy – this is why you need oxygen to live!

Oxidation: Addition of oxygen or non-metallic element or removal of hydrogen or metallic element from a compound is known as oxidation.

Reduction: Addition of hydrogen or metallic element or removal of oxygen or non-metallic element from a compound is called reduction.

🧪 Important Formulas

🔸 Key Concepts

Oxidation:

  • Addition of oxygen: 2Mg + O₂ → 2MgO
  • Removal of hydrogen: H₂S → S + H₂

Reduction:

  • Removal of oxygen: CuO + H₂ → Cu + H₂O
  • Addition of hydrogen: Cl₂ + H₂ → 2HCl

🔹 REDOX Reactions

In most reactions, oxidation and reduction occur simultaneously: CuO + H₂ → Cu + H₂O

  • Copper oxide is reduced (loses oxygen)
  • Hydrogen is oxidized (gains oxygen)

🔹 Agents

Oxidizing Agent: Causes oxidation of other substances (gets reduced itself)

Reducing Agent: Causes reduction of other substances (gets oxidized itself)

🔍 Advanced: Everyday REDOX

  • Respiration: Glucose oxidation provides energy
  • Photosynthesis: CO₂ reduction forms glucose
  • Battery: Redox reactions generate electricity
  • Bleaching: Oxidation removes color molecules
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