When something oxidizes, it joins with oxygen in the air, and that change often shows on the surface.

When something oxidizes當某個東西氧化, it joins with oxygen in the air它就是跟空氣中的氧氣結合, and that change often shows on the surface而且這個變化常常會顯現在表面上。

Iron oxidizes and we call the brown, rough coat rust; leave a bike in the rain long enough and the chain can even flake. A cut apple oxidizes too — the white face goes brown. Copper oxidizes and slowly turns green.

Iron oxidizes鐵會氧化 and we call the brown, rough coat rust我們把那層咖啡色、粗糙的外層叫做鐵鏽; leave a bike in the rain long enough把腳踏車放在雨中夠久 and the chain can even flake鏈條甚至會剝落。 A cut apple oxidizes too切開的蘋果也會氧化 — the white face goes brown白色的切面會變成咖啡色。 Copper oxidizes銅會氧化 and slowly turns green然後慢慢變綠。

You can also oxidize something on purpose, by heat or by a chemical, so the word covers both “it happens by itself” and “someone makes it happen.” Chemists use it more widely, though actually: for them it names a bigger family of changes, and oxygen from the air is not always in the story.

You can also oxidize something on purpose你也可以刻意讓某個東西氧化, by heat or by a chemical用加熱或化學藥劑的方式, so the word covers both “it happens by itself” and “someone makes it happen.”所以這個字同時涵蓋「自然發生」和「有人讓它發生」兩種情況 though actually不過其實 Chemists use it more widely化學家用這個字的範圍更廣: for them it names a bigger family of changes對他們來說這個字指的是一整個更大的變化家族, and oxygen from the air is not always in the story而且空氣中的氧氣不一定都會出現在裡面。

Rust is only the picture most of us know. In everyday talk, people still mean “it met oxygen and changed,” especially metal going rusty.

Rust is only the picture most of us know鐵鏽只是大部分人腦中的畫面而已。 In everyday talk在日常說法裡, people still mean “it met oxygen and changed,”大家講這個字時意思還是「碰到氧氣然後起了變化」 especially metal going rusty尤其是金屬生鏽的時候。

American spelling is oxidize; British spelling is often oxidise. The name of the change itself is oxidation.

American spelling is oxidize美式拼法是 oxidize; British spelling is often oxidise英式拼法則常常寫成 oxidise。 The name of the change itself is oxidation這個變化本身的名稱叫做 oxidation（氧化作用）。