Final answer:
Oxidation is a chemical process that can be understood as the loss of electrons, gain of oxygen, or loss of hydrogen in a chemical reaction. It is part of redox reactions, where it occurs together with reduction—the gain of electrons or loss of oxygen.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Oxidation
Oxidation is a chemical process traditionally associated with the reaction of a substance with oxygen to form oxides. However, its definition has expanded to include the loss of electrons during a chemical reaction. In terms of charge, when a substance loses electrons, it becomes more positively charged because electrons have a negative charge. This concept forms the basis of redox reactions, where oxidation and reduction occur simultaneously—oxidation refers to the loss of electrons and reduction to the gain of electrons.
Moreover, oxidation can be understood in terms of changes in composition; it refers to the gain of oxygen or the loss of hydrogen in a molecule. Conversely, reduction involves the loss of oxygen or the gain of hydrogen atoms. This broader view of oxidation and reduction goes beyond just elements and applies to compounds. In biological systems, most chemical reactions, such as photosynthesis and digestion, are redox reactions.