oxidant

Thân thiện

A scientist adds an oxidant to a chemical solution in a laboratory.

Definition

Noun: A chemical agent that causes oxidation by accepting electrons from another substance during a redox reaction. It is the substance that is reduced itself in the process.

Usage

An oxidant is a fundamental concept in chemistry. It is used to describe the specific substance in a reaction that facilitates oxidation by being reduced. It is often synonymous with "oxidizing agent."

Examples

• In the rusting of iron, atmospheric oxygen acts as the oxidant.
• Chlorine is a powerful oxidant used in water purification to kill bacteria.
• Hydrogen peroxide is a common oxidant found in many household disinfectants.

Advanced Usage

• In Combustion: In a fire, the oxidant (typically oxygen) combines with a fuel in an exothermic reaction.
• In Batteries: The cathode often contains the oxidant that accepts electrons from the anode during discharge.
• In Biological Systems: Certain reactive oxygen species can act as damaging oxidants in cells, a process linked to aging.

Variants and Related Words

• Oxidizer (noun): A completely synonymous term, very common in industrial and safety contexts (e.g., "Class 5 Oxidizers" in hazard classification).
• Oxidizing Agent (noun phrase): The full descriptive term for an oxidant.
• Oxidize (verb): The action performed by an oxidant (e.g., "The metal will oxidize in air.").
• Oxidation (noun): The process in which a substance loses electrons, facilitated by an oxidant.

Synonyms

• Oxidizer
• Oxidizing agent
• Electron acceptor (in the context of redox reactions)

Antonyms

• Reductant (noun): A substance that causes reduction by donating electrons; also called a reducing agent.
• Reducing agent
• Electron donor

Học thuật

Noun

1. a substance that oxidizes another substance

Từ đồng nghĩa

• oxidizer
• oxidiser
• oxidizing agent