Video Transcript
What is the name of the chemical
process in which the percentage of oxygen in a substance increases? (A) Reduction, (B) neutralization,
(C) combustion, (D) substitution, or (E) oxidization.
First, let’s look at an example of
a reaction where the percentage of oxygen in a substance increases. If carbon in the form of charcoal
is burned, then it combines with oxygen to make CO2 or carbon dioxide. So, the percentage of oxygen in the
substance has increased. As carbon has reacted with oxygen,
we say that it has oxidized or has undergone oxidization, which is also known as
oxidation. Oxidization can be defined as a
chemical process that increases the oxygen percentage or decreases the hydrogen
percentage in a substance. So, it seems as though the answer
to the question is option (E) oxidization. But to confirm, let’s look at the
other options.
Option (A) is reduction. This is the opposite of
oxidization. Reduction is a chemical process
that decreases the oxygen percentage or increases the hydrogen percentage in a
substance. The reaction equation above is for
the oxidation of carbon. As reduction is the opposite
process to oxidization, the reverse process converting carbon dioxide to carbon and
oxygen would be reduction. So as reduction decreases oxygen
percentage rather than increasing it, we can conclude the option (A) reduction is
not the answer to this question.
Option (B) is neutralization. This describes the reaction between
acids and bases, where an acid is combined with a base to produce a salt and
water. It is clear that neutralization
reactions are not relevant to increasing oxygen percentage. So, option (B) neutralization is
not the answer to this question.
Option (C) is combustion. Combustion is an exothermic
reaction where a substance reacts rapidly with oxygen. Combustion can cause the
oxidization of a substance, but it is not itself the same as oxidization. It is a type of oxidization
reaction. There are lots of types of
reactions that involve oxidization; it’s not just combustion. So, option (C) combustion is not
the answer to this question.
Option (D) is substitution. Quite generally a substitution
reaction can be defined as a reaction where an atom or group in a substance is
replaced by another atom or group. But it is often thought of more
specifically as when a more active metal replaces a less active metal in a
compound. Either way, it’s not defined
specifically as when the percentage of oxygen in a substance increases. Thus, option (D) substitution is
not the answer to this question.
Now, we can be sure that the name
of the chemical process in which the percentage of oxygen in a substance increases
is (E) oxidization.
