[Maeniel]

Something that may help is writing the charges above your elements; once you do that, then figure out which is oxidized and which is reduced. The one with that gets more negative is reduced and the one that gets more positive is oxidized.

Does that help?
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[CBB]

I'm a little rusty on chemistry, but I think I remember this...

A good way to remember which element is the oxidizer and which is the reductant is to remember which is donating it electrons to become positive and which is accepting electrons to become negative. A good example is here at the Wikipedia site:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxidation

The example they use is hydrogen and flourine.

H2 is the oxidizer because it is giving up two electrons-thus becoming positively charged.

F2 is the reductant because it is accepting two electrons to become negative.

In more complex equations, you just look for the element which needed to lose electrons and which needed to gain electrons in order to make the reaction possible and label them as the oxidizer and the reductant respectively.
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[Tinu.]

I don't have much trouble with single element equations - but when they start forming compounds I get really confused as to how to find the charges of the individual elements. Is it just the oxidation of that element, or is there something else involved? because I thought it was just the oxidation number, but I got really confused while doing my homework, and some things I'd overheard in class made it worse. And there aren't any good examples in the notes she gave us. . .
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"If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing it is stupid."
~Einstein

[Nem]

Eh, not really homework. Tried to think of several ways to phrase this question.

Is gravity subject to the second law of thermodynamics?
Or to put it another way: does an object lose its gravity, approaching a state of equilibrium with its surroundings, in the same way it might lose its heat?
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[Tamir]

By all means: no.

Gravity isn't even the property of an object, it's either a force being applied to the object or curvature of space. The question doesn't even make much sense. And though it seems that objects tend to "lose their gravity" by moving towards the center of the Earth, that's just the natural tendency of objects to seek the lowest potential. You could say the same about magnetism or any other force driven by a potential. The point is, the two things are unrelated.

[CBB]

Is that because gravity is really curves in spacetime or something else?
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Psychosomatic! That boy needs therapy...
Ya que estamos en el baile, ¡bailemos!

Keeper of Earthsong's Wispy Wooshy Memory Ball
Keeper of the Dragon Planet

[Tamir]

I can't answer that question. We don't know what gravity is. =o

[Asa]

I will be needing help with sadistics this year... anyone qualified to answer questions, so I know in advance?
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BS: "...then insist you eat a brownie."
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[Tamir]

Eh, is that statistics? (We call statistics sadistics here, so I guess you guys came up with the same joke)

[thespaceinvader]

I dd some stats, if that is what you mean, and I can dig up my old (university biology level) notes. I'll have to wait and see the questions before I know if I can be useful, though.
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[Tyris]

Statistics is fun! Except for the bits where it's not, which is all of them.

Still, we took S1 and S2, so should be able to help a little...
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[Asa]

Well the class I'm in is labeled Stats 1000, pre-req Algebra, meant for the hard sciences. Using a program called MiniTab. So far, I don't have to textbook, and therefore don't know exactly what the homework is...
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Keeper of the Library and the Gateway to Haven

Nem: "It's the sort of face you just know is getting ready to poke you with something sharp."
BS: "...then insist you eat a brownie."
__________________
If we shadows have offended,
Think but this and all is mended...
Give me your hands if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.

[thespaceinvader]

Ugh, minitab. It works well, but it's impossible to easily/legally get a home copy. Which means all work has to be done in computer labs.
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[RoseBlood]

I hope you guys remember your high school pre-calc. I'm gonna need you this year.

(sometimes I forget how OLD you guys are.)
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RoseBlood=Rose/Blood= Red
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[Tyris]

*waves duck-headed cane*
Get off the lawn, you cheeky youngsters!
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You can't look dignified when you're having fun.
Dubbed "Tetris" by Asa... apparently.
Keeper of Nanashi's ghostly blue visage and Felucca's hypothetical ejecting nose-cone.

"It's a sad thing when a man loses his cookie." - Nem