Verified answer

Most teachers tell their students to remember "oilrig". Oxidation is loss, reduction is gained. loss and gain in electrons fyi. Then translate that to electrons, charges, loss in electrons = gain in charge, gain in electrons = loss in charge... etc..

Some teach their students to remember "leo the lion says ger".. Loss of Electrons (LEO) is Oxidation... Gain of Electrons is Reduction (GER)...etc...

But neither one of those acronyms is related to chemisty and therefore neither is "intuitive" right? So who's going to remember that come test time? or better yet, next semester? Or in industry 5 years down the road.

So instead, I always teach this. "reduction = reduction in charge"

it's intuitive, simple and logical.... you remember reduction = reduction in charge and the rest follow logically...

*****************

reduction = reduction in charge

oxidation = increase in charge

reducing agent = species oxidized

oxidizing agent = species reduced.

*****************

Mg in MgCl2 is in the +2 state.. why? because Cl is almost always -1

Cl in MgCl2 is -1.

I in I2 is 0.. anything in it's "elemental state" is 0.. H2, Cl2, F2, He, etc.

Mg in MgI2 is still +2

I in MgI2 is -1

Cl in Cl2 is 0

***********

so..

Mg didn't change

I went from 0 to -1 and was "reduced" (reduced in charge right?)

Cl went from -1 to 0 and was "oxidized"

Remember OIL RIG ----> Oxidation Is Losing, Reduction Is Gaining electrons

Iodine goes from having a charge of 0 to having a -1 charge. It gained an electron: Iodine is reduced

Chlorine goes from hacing a charge of -1 to having a charge of zero. It lost an electron: Chlorine is oxidized!

I'd just like to add that by remembering the name LEO you can remember that LEO means;

Loss

Electrons

Oxidation

Electrons are negative, so when you loose them, you become more positive because you're loosing the negativity.