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Oxidize

ox·​i·​dize | ˈäk-sə-ˌdīz

verb

The act of combining with oxygen molecules to make an oxide

Oxidation is the process of combining oxygen molecules with other elements to create an oxide. An oxide is any molecule with at least one oxygen molecule. Because of oxygen’s unique nature, oxides can be formed from many different elements, including silver, iron, copper and more. There are select metals that are resistant to oxidation such as gold and platinum, making them especially valuable and sought after because they don’t succumb to tarnishing or blackening the same way that other metals that can oxidize will. Silver, for example, and especially sterling silver are highly susceptible to oxidation over time.