How does an atom’s oxidation number change during reduction?

During reduction, an atom's oxidation number decreases. Reduction is a chemical process where an atom, ion, or molecule gains electrons, which leads to a decrease in its oxidation number. The oxidation number represents the number of electrons an atom has gained or lost to form a chemical bond. In an oxidation-reduction reaction, the species that is reduced experiences a decrease in its oxidation number, while the species that is oxidized experiences an increase.12345