Oxidation definition

ŏksĭ-dāshən
The process of increasing the positive valence or of decreasing the negative valence of an element or ion.
noun
14
6
A reaction in which the atoms of an element lose electrons and the valence of the element is correspondingly increased.
noun
11
5
A chemical reaction in which an atom or ion loses electrons, thus undergoing an increase in valence. Removing an electron from an iron atom having a valence of +2 changes the valence to +3.
9
5
The combination of a substance with oxygen.
noun
4
0
Any process in which oxygen combines with an element or substance, either slowly, as in the rusting of iron, or rapidly, as in the burning of wood.
noun
7
4
Advertisement
Oxidation is the process when oxygen combines with an element, changing the appearance of the element.

When iron reacts with oxygen and changes to rust, this is an example of oxidation.

When fire burns up a wooden log, this is an example of oxidation.

noun
2
1
(chemistry) A reaction in which the atoms of an element lose electrons and the oxidation state of the element increases.
noun
1
1
The process by which electrons are removed from atoms or ions.
noun
3
4
The chemical combination of a substance with oxygen.
2
3
The combination of a substance with oxygen.
noun
2
5
Advertisement

Other Word Forms

Noun

Singular:
oxidation
Plural:
oxidations

Origin of oxidation

  • French from oxider to oxidize from oxide oxide oxide

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

Oxidation Sentence Examples

  • In practice this oxidation process is continued until the whole of the oxygen is as nearly as possible equal in weight to the sulphur present as sulphide or as sulphate, i.e.

  • On reduction glucose appears to yield the hexahydric alcohol d-sorbite, and on oxidation d-gluconic and d-saccharic acids.

  • During recent years an immense number of ringed or cyclic compounds have been discovered, which exhibit individual characters more closely resembling benzene, naphthalene, &c. than purely aliphatic substances, inasmuch as in general they contain double linkages, yet withstand oxidation, and behave as nuclei, forming derivatives in much the same way as benzene.

  • The transformation is not one of the oxidation of a hexamethylene compound to a benzenoid compound, for only two hydrogen atoms are removed.

  • The precipitate formed by sulphuretted hydrogen may contain the black mercuric, lead, and copper sulphides, dark-brown bismuth sulphide, yellow cadmium and arsenious sulphides, orange-red antimony sulphide, brown stannous sulphide, dull-yellow stannic sulphide, and whitish sulphur, the last resulting from the oxidation of sulphuretted hydrogen by ferric salts, chromates, &c. Warming with ammonium sulphide dissolves out the arsenic, antimony and tin salts, which are reprecipitated by the addition of hydrochloric acid to the ammonium sulphide solution.

More sentences

Related articles

Words near oxidation in the Dictionary