Why are oxidation and reduction considred as complementary processes?
It has been some years since I did any chemistry but here goes… Oxidation is loss of electrons. Reduction is gain of electrons. Therefore in a redox reaction one substance will lose electrons which the other picks up and gains. So the complimentary part is because in order for one substance to gain electrons another in the system must be losing them. I think that is what is meant – although it has been many years indeed!
