Final answer:
Reduction is characterized by the gain of electrons, a decrease in oxidation number, and can sometimes include loss of oxygen or gain of hydrogen. The correct answer to the question is that an element gains one or more electrons during reduction.
therefore the correct answer is b
Step-by-step explanation:
Reduction in chemistry refers to the gain of one or more electrons in a chemical reaction. During this process, there is often a decrease in oxidation number, which indicates that the substance has been reduced. An alternate definition of reduction includes the loss of oxygen from a compound or the gain of hydrogen in a molecular compound. In a broader perspective, a reducing chemical reaction can also lead to a compound being reduced to a simpler form.
In the context of the options provided in your question, the correct answer is that in a reduction, an element gains one or more electrons (Option B). This is opposed to oxidation, where an element loses electrons. These two processes often occur simultaneously in redox reactions, where one substance is reduced while another is oxidized.