Students viewing the more simplified animation provided more correct explanations regarding the identity of water and nitrate ions in the animations, the absence of ion pairs, the correct ratios of silver to nitrate ions and silver ions to copper atoms, the electron transfer process, size changes in the atoms and ions as the reaction occurred, the source of blue color in solution, and the driving force for the reaction. Students viewing the more simplified animation also wrote more correct balanced chem. equations for the reaction compared to students viewing the more complex animation. Students in the first study also noted that the more simplified animation did not depict extraneous information (camera angle changes, the overabundance of water mols.), and did depict relevant information (atom and ion charges, the number of electrons transferred, the source of the blue color). In the second study, the two animations differed only by whether water mols. were shown or omitted from the animation. The only difference the students in the second study noticed between the two animations is the presence or absence of water mols., but these student did not agree as to whether showing or omitting water mols. was more beneficial. The results of the two studies together suggest that showing or omitting water mols. in the animations had a limited effect on students' explanations of the oxidation-reduction process.