Here's why:
* Reduction is a chemical process that involves the gain of electrons by a molecule, atom, or ion.
* The opposite of reduction is oxidation, which involves the loss of electrons.
* Together, these processes are known as redox reactions.
Example: In the reaction of sodium (Na) with chlorine (Cl), sodium loses an electron to become a positively charged ion (Na+), while chlorine gains an electron to become a negatively charged ion (Cl-). Here, sodium is oxidized, and chlorine is reduced.
