How does oxidation affect the charge of an atom?

Oxidation refers to the process where an atom loses electrons, which leads to an increase in its oxidation state. When an atom loses electrons, it becomes more positively charged because the balance between the positively charged protons and the negatively charged electrons is disrupted; there are now more protons than electrons. This change results in a higher oxidation state for the atom.

Understanding this concept is fundamental in redox (reduction-oxidation) reactions, where knowing how the oxidation state changes helps predict the behavior of elements in chemical reactions. Therefore, the correct answer highlights that during oxidation, there is indeed an increase in the oxidation state of the atom, reflecting its positive charge increase from the loss of electrons.