Which Statement is TRUE About Oxidation-Reduction Reactions

Question

Which statement is TRUE about oxidation-reduction reactions?
A) They usually proceed through homolytic cleavage.
B) During oxidation a compound gains electrons.
C) Dehydrogenases typically remove two electrons and two hydrides.
D) There are four commonly accessed oxidation states of carbon.
E) Every oxidation must be accompanied by a reduction.

Accepted Answer

Every oxidation reaction must be accompanied by a reduction reaction. This is because electrons are transferred from one species (the one being oxidized) to another (the one being reduced), maintaining the principle of conservation of charge.