- #1
MadmanMurray
- 76
- 0
I have read about 20 explanations and tutorials and heard people talk about reducing and oxidizing compounds countless times but the concept continues to elude me. I know that oxidizing has 3 meanings but in this case it refers to one compound taking electrons off another compound and reduction is the opposite.
I understand that much but these terms are used generically and I hear people say "reduce compound A" or "oxidize compound B" but when I look at the reaction it makes no sense to me. People always talk about a certain compound being a good oxidizer for another compound.
What is the purpose of oxidizing a compound? Is it just to break a certain chemical bond to allow another chemical reaction to occur and a new compound to be formed?
That question probably has no simple answer but what I'm asking is why these 2 reactions (oxidation or reduction) are talked about so ambiguously everywhere
I understand that much but these terms are used generically and I hear people say "reduce compound A" or "oxidize compound B" but when I look at the reaction it makes no sense to me. People always talk about a certain compound being a good oxidizer for another compound.
What is the purpose of oxidizing a compound? Is it just to break a certain chemical bond to allow another chemical reaction to occur and a new compound to be formed?
That question probably has no simple answer but what I'm asking is why these 2 reactions (oxidation or reduction) are talked about so ambiguously everywhere