What is oxidized and what is reduced in the following reaction

A. Al is oxidized and Br2 is reduced.
B. AlBr3 is reduced and Br2 is oxidized
C. Al is reduced and Br2 is oxidized
D. AlBr3 is reduced and Al is oxidized
E. AlBr3 is oxidized and Al is reduced


If you could explain why that would be helpful! Thanks!

I'm assuming your reaction is Al + Br2 --> AlBr3.
Oxidation and reduction does not nescessarily have anything to do with the amount of oxygen, if you notice in this problem there is no oxygen.
The first thing you have to do is find the oxidation number of ever single element on both sides of the arrow.
Let's look at reactants since both Al and Br are in their natural states in nature their oxidation numbers must be 0. On the product side by looking at the periodic table you can see that Al is +3 and Br is -1.
Now we are ready to determine what is oxidized and what is reduced. Oxidation is the loss of electrons in a chemical reaction and reduction is gain.
Couple of ways to remember it is leo the lion goes ger, loss of electrons is oxidation and gain of electrons is reduction.
The other way is oil rig same thing oxidation is loss and reduction is gain.
Since electrons are negatively charged the element that becomes more positive in oxidation number has lost electrons and that would be Al, the element that becomes more negative has gained electrons and that would be Br2, so the answer is A.

Oxidized is Combine or become combined chemically with oxygen.
and it losses electrons in the following reaction