Final answer:
Oxidation occurs when minerals in rocks react primarily with oxygen, leading to chemical processes such as rust formation on iron. Oxidation is part of redox reactions where metals lose electrons and oxygen gains them. Oxygen's role is crucial in these reactions, contributing to both environmental weathering and material corrosion.
Step-by-step explanation:
Oxidation happens when minerals in rocks react with oxygen (O). This reaction is an integral part of the process known as chemical weathering. An example of oxidation is the formation of rust on iron, represented by the chemical reaction 4 FeO + O₂ → 2 Fe₂O₃. This type of reaction is a redox (reduction-oxidation) process, where the metal loses electrons (oxidation) and the oxygen gains electrons (reduction).
Another common oxidation scenario involves metal oxides reacting with environmental elements. For instance, the surface of aluminum, when exposed to air, develops a protective layer of aluminum oxide, which protects it from further oxidation. Similarly, iron oxidizes in the presence of moisture and oxygen to form iron oxide, leading to the phenomenon known as rusting.
These oxidation reactions typically involve a transfer of electrons. When a metal reacts with oxygen, the metal ends up losing electrons and thus getting oxidized, while the oxygen atoms gain those electrons and are reduced. Such processes illustrate how essential oxygen is to oxidation reactions in various environmental and industrial contexts.