What is the difference between Oxidation and Reduction?

Oxidation and reduction are two important terms in chemistry. Both occur in organic and inorganic reaction. And at times both can occur simultaneously, at this point the reaction is called redox reaction. There are a lot of differences between the two terms. All these can be explained using their definition. Oxidation means the addition of oxygen to another element, or the removal of hydrogen from a particular compound, while reduction is the removal of oxygen from a compound and the addition of hydrogen to another element.

Also, oxidation occurs when an atom loses an electron or when there is an increase in the oxidation state of an atom. Reduction reaction, on the other hand, occurs when a molecule gains electrons, or when there is a decrease in the oxidation state of an atom. At times, during redox reaction, some oxidizing agents or reducing agents are needed. However, other definitions can be used to differentiate the two terms.