Define oxidation in the context of chemistry.

In chemistry, oxidation is defined as the process of losing electrons or increasing oxidation state. This means that when a substance undergoes oxidation, it either loses electrons to another substance or its oxidation state increases, indicating a higher degree of oxidation. This is a fundamental concept in redox (reduction-oxidation) reactions, where oxidation occurs alongside reduction, which is the gain of electrons.

For example, in a reaction involving a metal and oxygen, the metal often loses electrons to form an oxide, thus increasing its oxidation state. This is crucial in understanding how different substances interact chemically, particularly in processes such as corrosion and combustion.

Understanding oxidation in this way is important for analyzing and predicting the outcomes of chemical reactions, making option "B" the accurate definition within the context of chemistry.