What is 'passive' oxidation?

What is oxidation Like in chemistry what is oxidation state in NaNO3?

• Answer:

  Oxidation is when the material your'e working with, draws the oxygene-atoms from the surroundings into itself, so that the oxygene becomes a part of the matter. Here's a few examples: When you put magnesium(Periodic number 12, alkali metal) together with water, it reacts like this: H20+Mg=MgO2+H The thing that happens when you put the two materiels together, is that the magnesium begins to draw the oxygene-atoms in the water to itself, so that it becomes Mg02 (an oxid). So basically, a oxid is just a matter that contains oxygene-atomes. Like: FeO=iron-oxide. MgO=Magnesium-oxide. AlO=Aluminium-oxide. And so on... Basically, rust is just iron who have ben oxidated by contact with water. About the NaNO3 your'e talking about, i don't know. Try looking it up at Wikipedia.