The word oxidize comes from the word oxygen which in turn is derived from the Greek "oxys" which means acid, and "genos" which means to produce or generate, it was named in this way because the French chemist Lavoisier mistakenly believed that oxygen was required to form acids. The oxygen to the like acid is a very corrosive environment. The Oxidation is a chemical reaction that occurs in an element or chemical compound either from a molecule, atom or ion, which yields or loses electrons and simultaneously this increases substance oxidation state.
On the other hand, there is the reduction reaction, which occurs when a chemical species gains electrons and at the same time decreases its oxidation number. This chemical phenomenon is also called oxidation-reduction, reduction-oxidation or by the abbreviation redox, which refers to those chemical reactions in which atoms change their oxidation state.
In most cases the oxidation process occurs when electron transfer is performed by acquiring oxygen atoms, this can be seen when iron (Fe) oxidized to the oxidized obtained iron trioxide (Fe2O3), although Not only does oxidation occur in metal or metalloid elements, but it also occurs in some foods, for example apple and lettuce, when chopped and left exposed with oxygen, a fairly rapid oxidation reaction is observed.
Due to the fact that it is a chemical reaction, when oxidation occurs, there is a release of energy, which can occur slowly (slow oxidation) that we can observe or experience daily, for example, respiration, which is the physiological process that living beings undergo when exchanging. carbon dioxide (CO2) due to oxygen (O2), oxidation or corrosion of metals such as iron, when in contact with water, photosynthesis of plants, fermentation, among others. And the process is also possible the rapid and explosive energy release(rapid oxidation) that can be observed in the combustion phenomenon, releasing heat energy and as a consequence the temperature increases, and flames or hydrocarbons for example.
