Question

When an atom in a reactant loses electrons, what happens to its oxidation number?

Answer 1

The oxidation number of an element indicates the hypothetical charge of an atom in a compound. It is hypothetical because, in the context of a compound, the elements may not necessarily be ionic. When the number of electrons associated with an atom changes, its oxidation number also changes. When an element loses an electron, its oxidation number increases.

Answer 2

when an atom losses an electron its oxidation number increases