RE: [meteorite-list] Serious question?

[Charles R. Viau]

Ok, so for the symantics of that definition, would you call that a “reduction reaction not involving oxygen”, and not “oxidation” .. ?   -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of S. Singletary Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2003 8:23 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: [meteorite-list] Serious question?   At 08:10 PM 9/17/2003 -0400, Charles R. Viau wrote: Oxidation -  Definition -> Combining a substance with oxygen. Strictly speaking oxidation is the loss of electrons.  The electrons need somewhere to go so something is going to gain electrons and that is the reduction part.  So to undergo oxidation, something has to be reduced - usually it's oxygen that accepts the wayward electrons but it doesn't always have to be so. For example: Ba + F2 -> BaF2 is an oxidation-reduction reaction that doesn't involve oxygen.  Here F is the oxydizing agent. Steven Steven Singletary 54-1224 Dept. Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences M.I.T. Cambridge, MA, 02139 Tel-617.253.6398 Fax-617.253.7102 Blue Skies!