What is reduction, Biology

Assignment Help:

What is reduction?

The most commonly understood definition of reduction is the removal of oxygen or addition of hydrogen ions. However, chemically, reduction can be defined as gain of electrons just as oxidation is loss of electrons. Let us look at the illustration:

 

18_What is reduction.png

Thus, the substance that a gains electron is reduced and that loses electrons is oxidized. In the above equations, cupric gains electrons and becomes cuprous in reduction and vice versa in oxidation. In an oxidation-reduction reaction, the electron donor is oxidized and the electron acceptor is reduced. See the reaction below:

2Na + Cl2 → NaCl

The sodium is oxidized since it has lost electrons and chloride is reduced as it has gained those electrons. In organic reactions, oxidation-reduction reactions usually involve loss or gain of hydrogen. Thus, to summarize, reduction is gain of electrons, gain of hydrogen or removal of oxygen and oxidation is loss of electrons, gain of oxygen or loss of hydrogen.


Related Discussions:- What is reduction

What do you mean by sex ratio, What do you mean by sex ratio? Sex Rati...

What do you mean by sex ratio? Sex Ratio is defined as "the number of females per 1000 males". Sex ratio is an important social indicator to measure the extent of prevailing e

Explain in brief about the term - calcium, Explain in brief about  the ter...

Explain in brief about  the term - Calcium   Calcium is absorbed as Ca 2+ ion and is a constituent of cell wall, an activator of different plant enzymes and is essential for t

Hypoglycaemia unawareness, Hypoglycaemia Unawareness ? Some people ...

Hypoglycaemia Unawareness ? Some people with diabetes do not have early warning signs of low blood glucose, a condition called hypoglycemia unawareness. ? This conditio

Encystment – protozoan, Encystment – Protozoan Encystment is character...

Encystment – Protozoan Encystment is characteristic of the life cycle of many protozoan. The protozoan secretes a thickened envelope (cyst) around itself and becomes inactive

Need for microbiological analysis of environment sample, Explain Need For M...

Explain Need For Microbiological Analysis of Environment Samples? Once the food is harvested, it passes through various operating steps before reaching the consumer. These step

Explain a review of eating disorder, Explain a review of Eating Disorder? ...

Explain a review of Eating Disorder? If you talk to a group of young boys and girls in an informal setting about their physical appearance, you will find that a majority of the

Zoology, Classification of the Phylum Protozoa up to orders

Classification of the Phylum Protozoa up to orders

Protozoans - regeneration in invertebrates, Protozoans - Regeneration i...

Protozoans - Regeneration in Invertebrates Most single celled animals such as protists, i.e. protozoans, regenerate very well. If part of the cytoplasm is removed from the

What is cardio vasular examination in hheart disease, What is cardio vasula...

What is cardio vasular examination in hheart disease? Cardio-vascular examination: A thorough and systematically cardio-vascular examination provides valuable clues to the pr

Explain the life cycle of water, Explain the life cycle of Water? The ...

Explain the life cycle of Water? The water cycle , or hydrologic cycle, is one of the most important processes to living organisms on Earth. Consider the following facts:

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd