oxidation is the loss of electrons reduction is the gain of electrons Balance the half equation for the formation of aluminium during electrolysis: Al 3+ + e-→ Al. The balanced half equation is: ...

In nature, nitrogen is reduced by nitrogenase enzymes, which contain large metalloproteins and promote a sequence of proton-coupled electron-transfer reactions to accomplish the reduction.

For the half equation: Al 3+ + 3e-→ Al, this is described as a reduction reaction as aluminium ions are gaining electrons and the gain of electrons is reduction.