Redox (short for reductionoxidation reaction) (pronunciation:/rdks/ or /ridks/ [1]) is

a chemical reaction in which the oxidation states of atoms are changed. Any such reaction
involves both a reduction process and a complementary oxidation process, two key concepts
involved with electron transfer processes.[2] Redox reactions include all chemical reactions in
which atoms have their oxidation state changed; in general, redox reactions involve the
transfer of electrons between chemical species. The chemical species from which the electron
is stripped is said to have been oxidized, while the chemical species to which the electron is
added is said to have been reduced. It can be explained in simple terms:
Oxidation is the loss of electrons or an increase in oxidation state by a molecule, atom,
or ion.
Reduction is the gain of electrons or a decrease in oxidation state by a molecule, atom,
or ion.
As an example, during the combustion of wood, oxygen from the air is reduced, gaining
electrons from the carbon.[3] Although oxidation reactions are commonly associated with the
formation of oxides from oxygen molecules, oxygen is not necessarily included in such
reactions, as other chemical species can serve the same function.[3]
The reaction can occur relatively slowly, as in the case of rust, or more quickly, as in the case
of fire. There are simple redox processes, such as the oxidation of carbon to yield carbon
dioxide (CO2) or the reduction of carbon by hydrogen to yield methane (CH4), and more
complex processes such as the oxidation of glucose (C6H12O6) in the human body.
The processes of oxidation and reduction occur simultaneously and cannot happen
independently of one another, similar to the acidbase reaction.[3] The oxidation alone and the
reduction alone are each called a half-reaction, because two half-reactions always occur
together to form a whole reaction. When writing half-reactions, the gained or lost electrons
are typically included explicitly in order that the half-reaction be balanced with respect to
electric charge.
Though sufficient for many purposes, these general descriptions are not precisely correct.
Although oxidation and reduction properly refer to a change in oxidation state the actual
transfer of electrons may never occur. The oxidation state of an atom is the fictitious charge
that an atom would have if all bonds between atoms of different elements were 100% ionic.
Thus, oxidation is best defined as an increase in oxidation state, and reduction as a decrease
in oxidation state. In practice, the transfer of electrons will always cause a change in
oxidation state, but there are many reactions that are classed as "redox" even though no
electron transfer occurs (such as those involving covalent bonds).
Oxidizing and reducing agents[edit]
In redox processes, the reductant transfers electrons to the oxidant. Thus, in the reaction, the
reductant or reducing agent loses electrons and is oxidized, and the oxidant or oxidizing
agent gains electrons and is reduced. The pair of an oxidizing and reducing agent that are
involved in a particular reaction is called a redox pair. A redox couple is a reducing species
and its corresponding oxidizing form, e.g., Fe2+/Fe3+.
Oxidizers[edit]

The international pictogram for oxidizing chemicals.

Main article: Oxidizing agent
Substances that have the ability to oxidize other substances (cause them to lose electrons) are
said to be oxidative or oxidizing and are known as oxidizing agents, oxidants, or oxidizers.
That is, the oxidant (oxidizing agent) removes electrons from another substance, and is thus
itself reduced. And, because it "accepts" electrons, the oxidizing agent is also called
an electron acceptor. Oxygen is the quintessential oxidizer.
Oxidants are usually chemical substances with elements in high oxidation states (e.g., H
2O
2, MnO
4, CrO
3, Cr
2O2
7, OsO
4), or else highly electronegative elements (O2, F2, Cl2, Br2) that can gain extra electrons by
oxidizing another substance.
Reducers[edit]
Main article: Reducing agent
Substances that have the ability to reduce other substances (cause them to gain electrons) are
said to be reductive or reducing and are known as reducing agents, reductants, or reducers.
The reductant (reducing agent) transfers electrons to another substance, and is thus itself
oxidized. And, because it "donates" electrons, the reducing agent is also called an electron
donor. Electron donors can also form charge transfer complexes with electron acceptors.
Reductants in chemistry are very diverse. Electropositive elemental metals, such
as lithium, sodium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and aluminium, are good reducing agents. These
metals donate or give away electrons readily. Hydride transfer reagents, such
as NaBH4 and LiAlH4, are widely used in organic chemistry,[6][7]primarily in the reduction
of carbonyl compounds to alcohols. Another method of reduction involves the use of
hydrogen gas (H2) with a palladium, platinum, or nickel catalyst. These catalytic
reductions are used primarily in the reduction of carbon-carbon double or triple bonds.
Standard electrode potentials (reduction potentials)[edit]
 Each half-reaction has a standard electrode potential (E0
cell), which is equal to the potential difference or voltage at equilibrium under standard
conditions of an electrochemical cell in which the cathode reaction is the half-
reaction considered, and the anode is a standard hydrogen electrode where hydrogen is
oxidized:
12 H2 H+ + e.
The electrode potential of each half-reaction is also known as its reduction potential E0
red, or potential when the half-reaction takes place at a cathode. The reduction potential
is a measure of the tendency of the oxidizing agent to be reduced. Its value is zero for
H+ + e 12 H2 by definition, positive for oxidizing agents stronger than H+ (e.g.,
+2.866 V for F2) and negative for oxidizing agents that are weaker than H+ (e.g.,
0.763 V for Zn2+).[8]
For a redox reaction that takes place in a cell, the potential difference is:
E0
cell = E0
cathode E0
anode
However, the potential of the reaction at the anode was sometimes expressed as an oxidation
potential:
E0
ox = E0
red.
The oxidation potential is a measure of the tendency of the reducing agent to be
oxidized, but does not represent the physical potential at an electrode. With this
notation, the cell voltage equation is written with a plus sign
E0
cell = E0
red(cathode) + E0
ox(anode)
Examples of redox reactions[edit]

Illustration of a redox reaction

A good example is the reaction between hydrogen and fluorine in which
hydrogen is being oxidized and fluorine is being reduced:
H
2+F
2 2 HF
We can write this overall reaction as two half-reactions:
 the oxidation reaction:
H
2 2 H+ + 2 e
and the reduction reaction:
F
2 + 2 e 2 F
Analyzing each half-reaction in isolation can often make the
overall chemical process clearer. Because there is no net change
in charge during a redox reaction, the number of electrons in
excess in the oxidation reaction must equal to the number
consumed by the reduction reaction (as shown above).
Elements, even in molecular form, always have an oxidation state
of zero. In the first half-reaction, hydrogen is oxidized from an
oxidation state of zero to an oxidation state of +1. In the second
half-reaction, fluorine is reduced from an oxidation state of zero
to an oxidation state of 1.
When adding the reactions together the electrons are canceled:
H
2 H+ + 2 e
2
F
2 F
2 + 2 e

H2 + F2 2 H+ + 2 F
And the ions combine to form hydrogen fluoride:

2 H + 2 F 2 HF
+

The overall reaction is:

H
2+F
2 2 HF
Metal displacement[edit]

A redox reaction is the force behind

an electrochemical cell like the Galvanic
cell pictured. The battery is made out of a zinc
electrode in a ZnSO4 solution connected with a wire
 and a porous disk to a copper electrode in a
CuSO4 solution.
In this type of reaction, a metal atom in a compound
(or in a solution) is replaced by an atom of another
metal. For example, copper is deposited
when zinc metal is placed in a copper(II)
sulfate solution:
Zn(s)+ CuSO4(aq) ZnSO4(aq) + Cu(s)
In the above reaction, zinc metal displaces the
copper(II) ion from copper sulfate solution and thus
liberates free copper metal.
The ionic equation for this reaction is:
Zn + Cu2+ Zn2+ + Cu
As two half-reactions, it is seen that the zinc is
oxidized:
Zn Zn2+ + 2 e
And the copper is reduced:

Cu + 2 e Cu
2+

Other examples[edit]
The reduction of nitrate to nitrogen in
the presence of an acid
(denitrification):
2 NO
3 + 10 e + 12 H+ N2 + 6 H2O
The combustion of hydrocarbons,
such as in an internal combustion
engine, which produces water, carbon
dioxide, some partially oxidized
forms such as carbon monoxide, and
heat energy. Complete oxidation of
materials containing carbon produces
carbon dioxide.
In organic chemistry, the stepwise
oxidation of a hydrocarbon by
oxygen produces water and,
successively, an alcohol,
an aldehyde or a ketone, a carboxylic
acid, and then a peroxide.
 Corrosion and rusting[edit]

Oxides, such as iron(III) oxide or rust,

which consists of hydrated iron(III)
oxides Fe2O3nH2O and iron(III) oxide-
hydroxide (FeO(OH), Fe(OH)3), form
when oxygen combines with other
elements

Iron rusting in pyrite cubes

The term corrosion refers to the
electrochemical oxidation of metals
in reaction with an oxidant such as
oxygen. Rusting, the formation
of iron oxides, is a well-known
example of electrochemical
corrosion; it forms as a result of the
oxidation of iron metal. Common rust
often refers to iron(III) oxide, formed
in the following chemical reaction:
4 Fe + 3 O2 2 Fe2O3
The oxidation of iron(II) to iron(III)
by hydrogen peroxide in the presence
of an acid:
Fe2+ Fe3+ + e
H2O2 + 2 e 2 OH
Overall equation:
2 Fe2+ + H2O2 + 2 H+ 2 Fe3+ + 2 H2O
Redox reactions in industry[edit]
Cathodic protection is a technique
used to control the corrosion of a
metal surface by making it the
cathode of an electrochemical cell. A
simple method of protection connects
protected metal to a more easily
corroded "sacrificial anode" to act as
the anode. The sacrificial metal
instead of the protected metal, then,
corrodes. A common application of
cathodic protection is
in galvanized steel, in which a
sacrificial coating of zinc on steel
parts protects them from rust.
The primary process of reducing ore
at high temperature to
produce metals is known as smelting.
Oxidation is used in a wide variety of
industries such as in the production
of cleaning products and
oxidizing ammonia to produce nitric
acid, which is used in most fertilizers.
Redox reactions are the foundation
of electrochemical cells, which can
generate electrical energy or
support electrosynthesis.
The process of electroplating uses
redox reactions to coat objects with a
thin layer of a material, as in chrome-
platedautomotive parts, silver
plating cutlery, and gold-
plated jewelry.
The production of compact
discs depends on a redox reaction,
which coats the disc with a thin layer
of metal film