Chemistry GCSE
Oxidation
What Oxidation means in Chemistry GCSE, as defined for AQA.
Definitions of Oxidation
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Reference: AQA
The gain of oxygen in a chemical reaction, for example when carbon gains oxygen and is oxidised to carbon dioxide.
In this context it means the gain of oxygen by an element, so carbon and hydrogen combine with oxygen.
The gain of oxygen by a substance, as when magnesium gains oxygen in a reaction with a metal oxide.
Loss of electrons, identified from the position of electrons in a half equation.
Occurs at the more reactive metal electrode, which tends to lose electrons.
The gain of oxygen, described as the opposite process to reduction.
Topics that use Oxidation
- Atoms, elements and compounds (AQA GCSE)
- Cells and batteries (AQA GCSE)
- Extraction of metals and reduction (AQA GCSE)
- Metal oxides (AQA GCSE)
- Properties of hydrocarbons (AQA GCSE)
Related terms
- Reduction
- Balanced chemical equation
- Balanced equation
- Battery
- Blast furnace chemistry
- Cell
- Chemical change
- Chemical symbol
Using Oxidation in the exam
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