Process

Oxidation is the loss of electrons during a reaction by a molecule, atom or ion. Oxidation occurs when the oxidation state of a molecule, atom or ion is increased. An older meaning of Oxidation was when oxygen was added to a compound. This was because Oxygen gas (O₂) was the first known Oxidizing agent. While the addition of Oxygen to a compound typically meets the criteria of electron loss and an increase in the oxidation state, the definition of Oxidation was expanded to include other types of Chemical reactions.