Wize AP Biology Textbook > Cellular Respiration
Redox Reactions
Popular Courses
Find My Course
0:00 / 0:00
Redox (Reduction-Oxidation) Reactions
These types of reactions are important in biology and occur very often in the cell.
- An oxidation reaction is always coupled with a reduction reaction.
- Oxidation is the loss of electrons by an atom (said atom is oxidized);
- Reduction is the gaining of electrons by an atom (said atom is reduced).

Wize Concept
Oxidized atoms can be seen as either losing bonds with hydrogen atoms (e-) or gaining bonds to oxygen atoms;
Reduced atoms can be seen as gaining bonds to hydrogen atoms or losing bonds to oxygen atoms.
Practice: Redox (Reduction-Oxidation) Reactions
Rank compounds 1-5 from least to most oxidized:

Practice: Redox Reactions 2
Looking at the reaction below, what is true for the 4 numbered carbons?
