When we think of rust, we picture a reddish-brown, worn-out strip of metal that’s been left out in the rain for too long. However, we don’t usually think of our own cells rusting inside us. Admittedly, that statement may seem a little misleading, but both iron and our cells break down in a process called oxidation. After that process, iron turns into rust so it's not too much of a stretch to conclude that our cells undergo their own version of rusting as well. But what exactly is the process of oxidation and how do our cells undergo it? Oxidation makes up half of a process called oxidation-reduction reactions, also known as redox reactions. Redox refers to the transfer of electrons between molecules, ions, and atoms in a chemical reaction found everywhere from combustion to photosynthesis. Despite its misleading name, reduction occurs when something gains electrons while oxidation is the loss of electrons. To remember this, think of the acronym, LEO the lion says GER. LEO stands fo...