Quick SAT chemistry question

<ol>
<li>Oxidation *reduction processes include all of the following EXCEPT </li>
</ol>

<p>(A) burning of wood
(B) rusting<br>
(C) generation of power by a storage battery
(D) combustion of gasoline in an automobile engine
(E) conduction ofan electric current in a copper wire</p>

<p>The answer is (E). Can someone explain this to me? Thanks!</p>

<p>Without even having studied for chemistry, you can answer this question with an elementary understanding of the subject and some logic.</p>

<p>You are looking for something that is “NOT” a transformative process (from a logic standpoint, “oxidation” hints that this is a transformative process.)</p>

<p>(A) IS a transformative process
(B) IS a transformative process
(D) IS a transformative process</p>

<p>So… We’re left with (c) and (e) as potential answers.</p>

<p>You should note that conduction is NOT a transformative process, as the definition of “conduction” is a “transfer of heat.” Therefore, the answer is E.</p>

<p>Also, you could infer that “generation of power” would require a “transformative process.” By process of elimination, you arrive at the same answer.</p>

<p>And, this is all without much knowledge of chemistry…</p>

<p>Cool, I wonder if you could have given the same analysis without my telling you the answer beforehand.</p>

<p>If you know any chemistry, you should have been able to figure it out - redox reactions involve a loss of electrons by one substance and a gain of electrons by another, and conduction doesn’t involve any kind of reaction in which electrons would be transferred.</p>