{"id":151043,"date":"2022-03-21T12:05:45","date_gmt":"2022-03-21T06:35:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/infinitylearn.com\/surge\/redox-reaction-explanation-and-types-of-redox-reactions\/"},"modified":"2025-07-24T12:06:31","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T06:36:31","slug":"redox-reaction-explanation-and-types-of-redox-reactions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/infinitylearn.com\/surge\/chemistry\/redox-reaction\/","title":{"rendered":"Redox Reaction \u2013 Explanation and Types of Redox Reactions"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_37 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"display: none;\"><label for=\"item\" aria-label=\"Table of Content\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"item\"><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1' style='display:block'><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/infinitylearn.com\/surge\/chemistry\/redox-reaction\/#Redox_Reaction\" title=\"Redox Reaction\">Redox Reaction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/infinitylearn.com\/surge\/chemistry\/redox-reaction\/#What_is_Redox_Reaction\" title=\"What is Redox Reaction\">What is Redox Reaction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/infinitylearn.com\/surge\/chemistry\/redox-reaction\/#Oxidation_and_Reduction\" title=\"Oxidation and Reduction\">Oxidation and Reduction<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/infinitylearn.com\/surge\/chemistry\/redox-reaction\/#Oxidising_Agent_or_Oxidants\" title=\"Oxidising Agent or Oxidants\">Oxidising Agent or Oxidants<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/infinitylearn.com\/surge\/chemistry\/redox-reaction\/#Reducing_Agents_or_Reductant\" title=\"Reducing Agents or Reductant\">Reducing Agents or Reductant<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/infinitylearn.com\/surge\/chemistry\/redox-reaction\/#Oxidation_Number\" title=\"Oxidation Number\">Oxidation Number<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/infinitylearn.com\/surge\/chemistry\/redox-reaction\/#Oxidation_State\" title=\"Oxidation State\">Oxidation State<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/infinitylearn.com\/surge\/chemistry\/redox-reaction\/#Types_of_Redox_Reactions\" title=\"Types of Redox Reactions\">Types of Redox Reactions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/infinitylearn.com\/surge\/chemistry\/redox-reaction\/#Oxidation_and_Reduction-2\" title=\"Oxidation and Reduction\">Oxidation and Reduction<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Redox_Reaction\"><\/span>Redox Reaction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A<a href=\"https:\/\/infinitylearn.com\/surge\/chemistry\/redox-reaction\/\"> redox reaction<\/a> is a chemical reaction in which two substances, one of which is reduced and one of which is oxidized, exchange electrons. In most cases, the electrons lost by the oxidized substance are gained by the reduced substance. This can be represented by the following equation:<\/p>\n<p>Oxidized substance + Reduced substance \u2192 Product<\/p>\n<p>In this equation, the oxidized substance is on the left, the reduced substance is on the right, and the product is in the middle.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-151042 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/infinitylearn.com\/surge\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/redox-reaction-explanation-and-types-of-redox-reactions.jpg\" alt=\"Redox Reaction \u2013 Explanation and Types of Redox Reactions\" width=\"606\" height=\"428\" srcset=\"https:\/\/infinitylearn.com\/surge\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/redox-reaction-explanation-and-types-of-redox-reactions.jpg?v=1647969042 606w, https:\/\/infinitylearn.com\/surge\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/redox-reaction-explanation-and-types-of-redox-reactions-300x212.jpg?v=1647969042 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 606px) 100vw, 606px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_Redox_Reaction\"><\/span>What is Redox Reaction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A redox reaction is a chemical reaction in which one or more electrons are transferred between two species. In a redox reaction, one molecule donates electrons to another molecule. The molecule that donates electrons is called the reductant, and the molecule that accepts electrons is called the oxidant. In many cases, the reductant and oxidant are ions, and the electron transfer results in a change in the oxidation state of the ions. Redox reactions are used to generate energy in cells, to break down food molecules, and to produce molecules necessary for life.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Oxidation_and_Reduction\"><\/span>Oxidation and Reduction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Oxidation is the process of losing electrons, while reduction is the process of gaining electrons. Together, they make up a redox reaction, in which one molecule is oxidized and another is reduced. In general, oxidation and reduction reactions happen simultaneously, and it can be difficult to determine which process is actually taking place. However, in some cases it is possible to distinguish between oxidation and reduction by looking at the reactants and products.<\/li>\n<li>For example, in the oxidation of glucose, glucose is oxidized to form carbon dioxide and water. In this reaction, the electrons are lost from the glucose molecule and transferred to the oxygen molecule. The oxygen molecule is then reduced to form water. In the reduction of copper (II) ions, copper ions are reduced to form copper metal. In this reaction, the electrons are gained by the copper ions and transferred to the hydrogen ions. The hydrogen ions are then reduced to form water.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Oxidising_Agent_or_Oxidants\"><\/span>Oxidising Agent or Oxidants<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>An oxidising agent (oxidant) is a chemical that causes or accelerates a chemical reaction by donating oxygen atoms to other atoms or molecules. In the presence of an oxidising agent, atoms of other elements can lose electrons to become oxygen atoms. This process is called oxidation.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Reducing_Agents_or_Reductant\"><\/span>Reducing Agents or Reductant<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A reducing agent, or reductant, is a chemical species that donates electrons to another chemical species. In most cases, the reducing agent is a metal ion, such as Fe2+, that donates electrons to a chemical species that is oxidized. The reducing agent is reduced, and the oxidized species is oxidized.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Oxidation_Number\"><\/span>Oxidation Number<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The oxidation number of an atom is the number of electrons that atom has lost or gained. The oxidation number of an element is always a whole number. The oxidation number of a compound is the sum of the oxidation numbers of the atoms in the compound.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Oxidation_State\"><\/span>Oxidation State<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The oxidation state of an atom is a measure of the degree of oxidation of that atom. The oxidation state of an atom is the number of electrons that have been removed from, or added to, the atom.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Types_of_Redox_Reactions\"><\/span>Types of Redox Reactions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Oxidation_and_Reduction-2\"><\/span>Oxidation and Reduction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>In redox reactions, one molecule donates electrons to another. This is called oxidation. The molecule that accepts the electrons is called reduction. Oxidation and reduction always happen together.<\/li>\n<li>In rusting, for example, the iron atom loses electrons to the oxygen atom. This is an oxidation reaction. The oxygen atom gains electrons from the hydrogen atoms. This is a reduction reaction.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Redox Reaction A redox reaction is a chemical reaction in which two substances, one of which is reduced and one [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"Redox Reaction","_yoast_wpseo_title":"Redox Reactions: Definition and Types of Redox Reactions","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"A redox reaction is a chemical reaction in which two substances, one of which is reduced and one of which is oxidized, exchange electrons.","custom_permalink":"chemistry\/redox-reaction\/"},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"table_tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v17.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Redox Reactions: Definition and Types of Redox Reactions<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" 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