An oxidation-reduction (redox) reaction is a type of chemical reaction that involves a

transfer of electrons between two species. An oxidation-reduction reaction is any

chemical reaction in which the oxidation number of a molecule, atom, or ion changes
by gaining or losing an electron. Redox reactions are common and vital to some of the
basic functions of life, including photosynthesis, respiration, combustion,
and corrosion or rusting

Oxidation-Reduction Reactions

Redox reactions are comprised of two parts, a reduced half and an oxidized half,
that always occur together. The reduced half gains electrons and the oxidation number
decreases, while the oxidized half loses electrons and the oxidation number increases.
Simple ways to remember this include the mnemonic devices OIL RIG, meaning
"oxidation is loss" and "reduction is gain," and LEO says GER, meaning "loss of e- =
oxidation" and "gain of e- = reduced." There is no net change in the number of
electrons in a redox reaction. Those given off in the oxidation half reaction are taken up
by another species in the reduction half reaction.

The two species that exchange electrons in a redox reaction are given special names.
The ion or molecule that accepts electrons is called the oxidizing agent; by accepting
electrons it causes the oxidation of another species. Conversely, the species that
donates electrons is called the reducing agent; when the reaction occurs, it reduces the
other species. In other words, what is oxidized is the reducing agent and what is
reduced is the oxidizing agent. (Note: the oxidizing and reducing agents can be the
same element or compound, as in disproportionation reactions).

A good example of a redox reaction is thethermite reaction, in which iron atoms in

ferric oxide lose (or give up) O atoms to Al atoms, producing Al2O3.

Fe2O3(s)+2Al(s)→Al2O3(s)+2Fe(l)

Redox reactions are everywhere! Your body uses redox reactions to convert food and
oxygen to energy plus water and CO2CO2C, O, start subscript, 2, end subscript, which
we then exhale. The batteries in your electronics also rely on redox reactions, which
you will hear more about when we learn electrochemistry. Can you find other examples
of redox reactions happening around you?k

Types of redox reactions. Redox reactions are among the most common and most
important chemical reactions in everyday life. The great majority of those reactions can
be classified on the basis of how rapidly they occur. Combustion is an example of a
redox reaction that occurs so rapidly that noticeable heat and light are
produced. Corrosion, decay, and various biological processes are examples of
oxidation that occurs so slowly that noticeable heat and light are not produced.

Combustion. Combustion means burning. Any time a material burns, an

oxidation-reduction reaction occurs. The two equations below show what happens
when coal (which is nearly pure carbon) and gasoline (C 8 H 18 ) burn. You can see
that the fuel is oxidized in each case:

C + O 2 → CO 2

2 C 8 H 18 + 25 O 2 → 16 CO 2 + 18 H 2 O

In reactions such as these, oxidation occurs very rapidly and energy is released. That
energy is put to use to heat homes and buildings; to drive automobiles, trucks, ships,
airplanes, and trains; to operate industrial processes; and for numerous other purposes.

Rust (Corrosion). Most metals react with oxygen to form compounds known as oxides.
Rust is the name given to the oxide of iron and, sometimes, the oxides of other metals.
The process by which rusting occurs is also known as corrosion. Corrosion is very
much like combustion, except that it occurs much more slowly. The equation below
shows perhaps the most common form of corrosion, the rusting of iron.

4 Fe + 3 O 2 → 2 Fe 2 O 3

Decay. The compounds that make up living organisms, such as plants and animals, are
very complex. They consist primarily of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen. A simple way
to represent such compounds is to use the letters x, y, and z to show that many atoms of
carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen are present in the compounds.

When a plant or animal dies, the organic compounds of which it is composed begin to
react with oxygen. The reaction is similar to the combustion of gasoline shown above,
but it occurs much more slowly. The process is known as decay, and it is another
example of a common oxidation-reduction reaction. The equation below represents the
decay (oxidation) of a compound that might be found in a dead plant:

C x H y O z + O 2 → CO 2 + H 2 O

Biological processes. Many of the changes that take place within living organisms are
also redox reactions. For example, the digestion of food is an oxidation process. Food
molecules react with oxygen in the body to form carbon dioxide and water. Energy is
also released in the process. The carbon dioxide and water are eliminated from the body
as waste products, but the energy is used to make possible all the chemical reactions
that keep an organism alive and help it to grow.

(Clint Balbuena, Hannah Gervacio, Kristal Jane Sudario BSPh1B, Group 4)