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Cambridge IGCSE·Chemistry·Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry

Oxidation, Reduction & Redox

13 min read

Oxidation and reduction in terms of oxygen, hydrogen and electrons; oxidation numbers; oxidising and reducing agents; and redox tests.

What is redox?

Redox reactions involve reduction and oxidation happening together. There are three ways to define them; learn all three.

OxidationReduction
Oxygengain of oxygenloss of oxygen
Hydrogenloss of hydrogengain of hydrogen
Electronsloss of electronsgain of electrons

Remember OIL RIG: Oxidation Is Loss, Reduction Is Gain (of electrons).

species Aloses e⁻ → OXIDISED species Bgains e⁻ → REDUCED electrons transferred e.g. Mg + Cu²⁺ → Mg²⁺ + Cu
OIL RIG — in a redox reaction electrons are transferred; the species that loses electrons is oxidised, the one that gains them is reduced.

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