Miracle Learning Center
Chemistry tuition | Reduction

01 Feb Chemistry tuition | Reduction

At Miracle Learning Centre, we have the most friendly and patient teachers of Singapore who help out our students to understand the most complex topics of the subject with the utmost ease. They provide them with the simplest explanations and concise study materials and guide them in achieving more marks with lesser efforts.

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Chemistry tuition classes in Miracle Learning Centre are easy to understand and help you in the chemistry tuition application questions. If you do not understand chemistry in school, you must definitely come for chemistry tuition classes at Miracle Learning Centre. Let us learn about reduction in this chemistry tuition lesson.

The chemistry tuition teacher at Miracle Learning Centre will teach you how to define reduction. There are four ways to define reduction.

Reduction can be defined as loss of oxygen. For example, when carbon dioxide reacts with carbon, it forms carbon monoxide. Carbon dioxide loses oxygen to form carbon monoxide. Hence we say carbon dioxide has been reduced.

Reduction can also be defined in terms of gain of hydrogen. When a substance gains hydrogen, it has been reduced.

The third way to explain reduction is when a substance has a decrease in oxidation state. For example, when copper oxide reacts with hydrogen, it forms copper metal and steam. The oxidation state of copper decreases from +2 (in copper (II) oxide) to 0 (in copper metal). Hence, copper (II) oxide has been reduced because its oxidation state decreases from +2 to 0.

In terms of electrons, copper(II) ions gains electrons to form copper metal. Hence, reduction can also be explained by gain of electrons.

Jackie, a student at Miracle Learning Centre asked, “Why do we need to learn about reduction?”

Mrs Lew, the chemistry tuition teacher at Miracle Learning Centre replied, “Redox reactions involves reduction and oxidation. An example of a reduction reaction is when nitrogen reacts with hydrogen to form ammonia gas. Nitrogen has an oxidation state of 0, however nitrogen in ammonia gas has an oxidation state of -3. Hence there is a decrease in oxidation state of nitrogen from 0 to -3. Hence nitrogen has been reduced. Hydrogen on the other hand involves an increase in oxidation state. Hydrogen has an oxidation state of 0 and it increases to +1 in water. There is an increase in oxidation state from 0 to +1 and hence hydrogen is oxidised. We can see from these redox reactions that it is important to us in our daily lives. In this particular example, it involves the manufacture of ammonia gas, which is known as the Haber process.

Miracle Learning Centre hope you have understood what reduction is about. Do come to Miracle Learning Centre for more chemistry tuition lessons to learn more about reduction.