In 1777, Antoine Lavoisier, a French chemist, proved that burning is the result of the rapid union of oxygen with other substances. As a substance burns, heat and light are produced. Burning is also called combustion. Often oxygen unites with other substances at such a slow rate that little heat and no light are given off. When this happens, we call the process oxidation, rather than burning or combustion.
Oxidation takes place whenever oxygen unites with other substances either rapidly or slowly.
For example, when oxygen unites with gasoline, the action takes place rapidly and heat and light are given off. This process may be described by any of the three words, burning, combustion, or oxidation. When oxygen unites with iron and causes it to rust, burning, or combustion, does not take place, but oxidation does. We'd like to hear from you. Click here to submit your comments.