Oxidisation

Oxidisation is a fundamental chemical process involving the loss of electrons by a molecule, atom, or ion. This loss of electrons typically results in an increase in the oxidation state of the species undergoing oxidisation. The term "oxidisation" is often associated with the reaction of a substance with oxygen, as oxygen is a strong oxidising agent and readily accepts electrons. However, oxidisation can occur with other substances besides oxygen.

The opposite of oxidisation is reduction, which is the gain of electrons. In any chemical reaction where one species is oxidised, another species must be reduced; these are known as redox reactions. Common examples of oxidisation include the rusting of iron, where iron loses electrons to form iron oxides, and the combustion of fuels, where organic molecules are oxidised by oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water. In biological systems, cellular respiration is a crucial metabolic pathway that involves the controlled oxidisation of glucose to release energy. Understanding oxidisation is vital in fields ranging from materials science and environmental chemistry to biochemistry and industrial processes.