introductory REDOX

• oxidation: a substance loses one or more electrons
• reduction: a substance gains one or more electrons
• redox: the transfer of electrons from one substance to another
• an oxidising agent (or oxidant) is a substance that removes electrons from another susbtance
• a reducing agent (or reductant) donates electrons to another substance
• in a redox reaction, the substance that is oxidised is the reductant. the substance that is reduced is the oxidant
• oxidation and reduction must occur simultaneously in an equation
• redox reactions involve the transfer of electrons from one chemical species to another
• disproportionation: one species oxidises and reduces