Question

how can iodine have both positive and negative oxidation numbers

Answer 1

All the other halogens-chlorine, bromine and iodine- exhibit positive oxidation states upto +7, apart from the most stable negative state of -1. But fluorine is more electronegative than any other element in the periodic table and so it cannot be assigned a positive oxidation number in its compounds

Answer 2

hello friend here's your answer..
iodine could exist in both the positive and negative oxidation states . the polarization and electronegativity of iodine is responsible for the negative oxidation state like NaI, AgI etc.... whereas when iodine combines with higher electronegative atoms it attains positive oxidation state like IF5 etc..
hope you find it useful so please mark me as brainliest...