Why is reduction the term used to describe the gain of an electron? Why is reduction the term used to describe the gain of an electron? The electron acceptor gets smaller. The number of molecules in the reaction decreases. The amount of energy in the molecule decreases. The electron acceptor's net charge decreases.

The correct answer choice to the question: Why is reduction the term used to describe the gain of an electron, would be: The electron acceptor's net charge decreases.

Explanation:

In chemical reactions, especially those known as redox reactions, one substance, or molecule, in the presence of another, tends to give up an electron, donate it to another, and become oxidized. In the case of the molecule that accepts the electron we say that this molecule has become reduced and this is because, as the accepting molecule takes in the charged electron, this one change in electron charges will upset the balance that existed before the exchange. The result is that the acceptor of the incoming electron will see a decrease in its net charge, thus becoming reduced.