Combined Science GCSE
Oxidation
What Oxidation means in Combined Science GCSE, as defined for AQA.
Definitions of Oxidation
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Reference: AQA
A reaction in which a substance gains oxygen, and at this level the definition is the gain of oxygen by a substance.
Loss of electrons, occurring at the positive anode, as when hydroxide ions release electrons in this half equation.
During combustion, the carbon and hydrogen in the fuels are oxidised, meaning they react with oxygen.
At the anode, negative ions lose electrons, so electrons are written on the right of the arrow.
In this context, the gain of oxygen by carbon when it removes oxygen from a metal oxide.
The gain of oxygen by a substance, occurring simultaneously with reduction.
Topics that use Oxidation
- Extraction of metals and reduction (AQA GCSE)
- Metal oxides (AQA GCSE)
- Properties of hydrocarbons (AQA GCSE)
- Representation of reactions at electrodes as half equations (HT only) (AQA GCSE)
- The process of electrolysis (AQA GCSE)
Related terms
- Anode
- Electrolysis
- Half equation
- Reduction
- Balanced symbol equation
- Boiling point
- Cathode
- Chemical reactions
Using Oxidation in the exam
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