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Theoxidation is the process by which a atom, ion or molecule increases its Oxidation state. It is common to associate this change with what is known as the electron loss process: electrons, however, are not lost through spontaneous generation but are transferred from one element to another.
In any case, the association is not entirely precise to the extent that although whenever electrons are transferred, a change at Oxidation state, the reverse does not occur.
The oxidation in its original sense it refers to the combination of oxygen with another substance to produce a compound called oxide. Whenever this happens, there is a release of energy, which can occur slowly (called slow oxidation, as in the oxidation of metals, causing their loss of shine) or in a rapid and explosive way (called rapid oxidation, as in a combustion, giving off significant amounts of heat in the form of fire).
The electron transfer process also known as oxidation-reduction, since simultaneously one element gains electrons (called an oxidizing agent) and another loses them (called a reducing agent). The ease of a substance to supply electrons makes it have the status of a strong reducing agent, which usually has a complement (in the oxidized form) in a weak oxidizing agent. Similarly, a strong oxidizing agent is usually also a weak reducing agent.
They recognize different kinds of oxidations, among which are chemistry, electrochemistry, biological, thermal and catalytic. However, the oxidation It is a process that is completely linked to the daily lives of human beings.
Examples of chemical oxidation
Twenty examples of the oxidation-reduction process are listed below, accompanied in some cases by photos that describe their process:
1. The change of color of a fruit when exposed during a time outdoors.
2. A nail that began to change color and texture.
3.The consumption of a cigarette.
4. A campfire.
5. The aging of a person, with deterioration in the skin.
6. The combustion that occurs when burning a paper.
7. The use of hydrogen peroxide, usual to dye hair color.
8. The combustion of an airplane engine.
9. The breathing process of the human being.
10. Anaerobic respiration, characteristic of some bacteria.
11. The oxidation of lipids (fats and oils) that reduce the nutritional value of the food and give it unpleasant tastes and odors.
12. The fermentation, through which sugars are converted into ethanol, typical of some foods and beverages.
13. The loss of properties that a banana (or banana) goes through such as rigidity or consistency, if it is outdoors without its peel
14. A chair from a garden, which has been through a season exposed to a lot of rains, possibly at the end is rusty.
15. The change in color of a piece of meat, from reddish to brown, when it is in contact with the air and loses the cold chain.
16. The oxidation of the water treatment, functional to the elimination of iron and magnesium, abundant in the earth's crust and harmful to water.
17. The rust that accumulates over time on the radiator of a car engine, affecting its cooling capacity.
18. The rapid decomposition that a fish undergoes when in contact with the air.
19. The release of fats and sugars inside the cell for energy
20. The oxidation of glucose, produced by glucosis in order to obtain energy for the cells.
