5 Surprising Examples of Oxidation Reaction in Our Daily Life

Do you know some examples of oxidation reaction in our daily life? Have you ever heard about oxidation? What does it mean? Is it important in our life? In this article, we will introduce five surprising ways on how of oxidation reaction occurs in our daily life and show you how interesting they are! We hope that after reading this article, you can have deeper understanding of oxidation reaction.

1. Rust

There is a widespread misconception that rusting metal can be dangerous, but that's not really true. Rusting usually only becomes hazardous when it's concentrated or airborne. Rust is an oxidation reaction in which iron and oxygen combine to create ferric oxide (FeO) or Fe2O3. For example, steel wool slowly rusts away when it comes into contact with moisture because water helps promote oxidation.

If enough water seeps through cracks in a structure, it could start rusting from within, eating away at beams and supports until they eventually collapse. Some buildings are built with support beams made of zinc; unlike iron, zinc resists corrosion by oxidation. A thin layer of oxidized zinc prevents more substantial corrosion from occurring and acts as a sacrificial barrier that protects other parts of your home.

This is why buildings sometimes have brownish streaks on their walls - those marks are created by iron reacting with corroded zinc compounds to form ferrous oxide (FeO). Zinc also makes an excellent exterior coating for car batteries and flashlights, since it doesn't corrode easily.

2. Examples of Oxidation Reaction in Our Daily Life: My Hair Goes Gray

New research shows that oxidation-the same process that turns an apple brown and can make people go gray-may be what's responsible for memory loss. Sure, we already know that some oxidation is necessary for healthy skin, bones, and other bodily functions. But scientists have found a possible link between oxidized brain proteins and Alzheimer's disease.

It doesn't take much to slow down oxidation: Researchers believe consuming blueberries or strawberries on a regular basis might help prevent memory loss by reducing damage to brain cells caused by oxidized proteins. And don't worry about not being able to get enough berries into your diet: Other studies show that eating berries may also help protect against cancer and heart disease-even if you hate them!

3. Why Do Clothes Fade?

You'll realize that there are many examples of oxidation reaction in our daily life. For example, have you ever wondered why your favorite t-shirt or a pair of jeans fade, or get holes? Well, it's because of oxidation. Oxygen doesn't just keep us alive; it's all around us and as we breathe and live our daily lives, things start to rust and age. Essentially all fabrics are made from plant or animal sources.

That means, they contain carbon (from plants) and/or nitrogen (from animals). The more exposure your clothes have to oxygen and other elements like water, the quicker they begin to break down and fade. In addition to fading, fabric items start to shrink when they become older due to natural chemical reactions within each fiber that causes them to become stiffer over time.

4. Natural Bodies of Water Used to Be Clear

Many natural bodies of water are now murky because of human activity. We dump a lot of things into lakes and rivers, from oil to animal feces, and these chemicals cause algae to grow faster than usual, sucking up more oxygen as they feed. These algae will eventually die off, at which point bacteria take over.

Normally these bacteria process organic matter-including anything we've dumped into that body of water-but with so much dead material for them to process, they end up consuming most of our available oxygen as well. When there's not enough oxygen for fish or other organisms living in that lake or river, you get a dead zone: an area where all life is lost due to lack of oxygen.

5. Examples of Oxidation Reaction in Our Daily Life: Air Pollution

The impact of air pollution on our health is incredibly profound, yet most people remain woefully unaware of just how much it can affect their lives. In fact, air pollution could be doing more damage to our bodies than we realize. But what exactly is air pollution? And more importantly, what can we do about it?

The average person encounters air pollution several times a day -- when they shower, while they are driving and walking around town, and especially while they're inside their home. Common sources of indoor air pollutants include paints, cleaning supplies and pesticides used to treat bug infestations. The following examples illustrate how oxidation occurs outside as well as inside your body.