have u ever wonder why the apple turns brown almost immediately when the skin has been peeled off? This is the phenomenon of oxidation.
Let's use an analogy to define the first and simplest definition of oxidation!
meet Mr Skinny
meet Beefy
after Skinny meets Beefy,
he lost his oxygen atoms
Beefy gains the oxygen
atoms from Skinny
So, what have happened to Skinny? what makes him lose his oxygen atoms?
for Skinny, losing his oxygen atoms means Skinny has been reduced.
for Beefy, gaining oxygen atoms means Beefy has been oxidised.
It was Beefy who caused Skinny to lose his oxygen atoms, so Beefy is playing the role of the Reducing Agent, while Skinny is the Oxidising Agent.
Thus, Oxidation is the gain of oxygen atoms.
Example 1
Mg + CuO → MgO + Cu
Mg gains oxygen to form MgO. Thus, Mg is oxidised. CuO is the oxidising agent.
Similarly, CuO loses oxygen to form Cu. Thus, CuO is reduced and Mg is the reducing agent.
Let's use an analogy to define the first and simplest definition of oxidation!
he lost his oxygen atoms
atoms from Skinny
for Skinny, losing his oxygen atoms means Skinny has been reduced.
for Beefy, gaining oxygen atoms means Beefy has been oxidised.
It was Beefy who caused Skinny to lose his oxygen atoms, so Beefy is playing the role of the Reducing Agent, while Skinny is the Oxidising Agent.
Thus, Oxidation is the gain of oxygen atoms.
Example 1
Mg + CuO → MgO + Cu
Mg gains oxygen to form MgO. Thus, Mg is oxidised. CuO is the oxidising agent.
Similarly, CuO loses oxygen to form Cu. Thus, CuO is reduced and Mg is the reducing agent.
Watch the following video.
Let's move on to Definition 2.