Glossary

oxidation

Chemical process whereby an atom or ion loses electrons and undergoes a subsequent increase in valence; the combination of a substance with oxygen; the act or result of being oxidised. Opposite of reduction.

Related terms

decomposition
Natural, ecological process in which organic material is broken down into simpler substances which may then be used by other organisms. Typically biotic and carried out by microbes, worms, and other organisms but can also be abiotic and occur via chemical or physical processes such as oxidation or hydrolysis.
redox
Abbreviation of reduction-oxygenation. Used in reference to a chemical process whereby one substance or molecule undergoes reduction and another oxidation.
reduction
Chemical process whereby an atom or ion gains electrons and undergoes a subsequent increase in valence; the act or process of being reduced. Opposite of oxidation.
valence
Combining capacity of an atom or ion determined by the number of electrons that it will lose, add, or share when it reacts with other atoms; the bond-forming capacity of a given atom or radical; a numeric value designated to represent this capacity.

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