ABSTRACT
Oxidation and reduction Cars are subject to (or take advantage of) oxidation/reduction (REDOX) reactions-reactions where electrons are transferred between chemical species-every day. Several examples of important REDOX reactions in cars include the combustion process in fossil fuel-burning engines, the electrochemistry involved in batteries and fuel cells, and the corrosion of metal car components. Because REDOX reactions always involve a transfer of electrons, REDOX chemistry may be used to generate a current, as in a battery, or be a relatively unnoticed aspect of a chemical reaction, as it often is in combustion or corrosion processes. REDOX chemistry is also essential to metal plating and corrosion protection in vehicles. In this chapter, we will focus on understanding the details of these automotive applications of REDOX chemistry.
