I am having some trouble understanding what is an oxidationvs. a reduction. I kn

Question

I am having some trouble understanding what is an oxidationvs. a reduction. I know an oxidation is when electrons arelost and a reduction is when electrons are gained but I can't seemto get it to translate in my brain. Can someone help explainin very elementary terms, detailed, how this works. Here are some examples: O2 + 4e- ------> 2O2- (is this reduction? this iswhat I think but not sure) Al ------> Al3- + 3e- (is this oxidation because theAluminum lost some electrons?) Fe3+ + e- -----> Fe2+ (don't get this at all but I amthinking it is oxidation because iron lost an electron?) 2Br- ----> Br2 + 2e- I am having some trouble understanding what is an oxidationvs. a reduction. I know an oxidation is when electrons arelost and a reduction is when electrons are gained but I can't seemto get it to translate in my brain. Can someone help explainin very elementary terms, detailed, how this works. Here are some examples: O2 + 4e- ------> 2O2- (is this reduction? this iswhat I think but not sure) Al ------> Al3- + 3e- (is this oxidation because theAluminum lost some electrons?) Fe3+ + e- -----> Fe2+ (don't get this at all but I amthinking it is oxidation because iron lost an electron?) 2Br- ----> Br2 + 2e-

Explanation / Answer

1) O2 + 4e- ------> 2O2   ( O2 wentfrom having 0 charge on each oxygen to having -2 on each oxygen,there fore it gain 4 electrons total, that is what the +4emeans). just remember that if its charge wentlower, it is reduced, and when its charge wenthigher,it is oxidized. in this case it wentfrom 0 to -2 there fore it is reduced) 2)Al ------> Al3- + 3e- ( Al went from 0 charge to +3, itis oxidized) 3)Fe3+ + e- -----> Fe2+ ( Fe went from +3 charge to +2charge, it went lower, there fore, reduced) 4) 2Br- ----> Br2 + 2e-   ( Br went from -1 charge oneach Br to 0 on each Br on the right, there fore it increased,oxidized)

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