Disproportionation

/ˌdɪspɹəˌpoɹʃəˈneɪʃən/ noun

Definition

In chemistry, a reaction where a single substance is oxidized and reduced simultaneously to form two different products.

Etymology

From disproportionate + -ation (noun suffix). In chemistry, this technical term describes a specific type of redox reaction discovered in the 19th century.

Kelly Says

This is a gorgeous example of how chemistry borrowed and repurposed a word—disproportionation happens when one molecule splits into products with it split into oxidation states on both sides of the reaction equation.

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