Summary:
- Many elements simply combine with oxygen to form the oxide of that element.
- Iron that is exposed to air and water slowly oxidizes in a process known as rusting.
- Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) releases oxygen as it spontaneously decomposes.
- It acts as a bleach and an antiseptic that kills bacteria by oxidizing them.
- The opposite of oxidation is called reduction.
- Oxidation and reduction must occur together.
- Neither can happen alone in a reaction.
- The reverse of the ethanol → acetaldehyde reaction shown above is a reduction reaction.