Question

What is an oxidation number? How is it defined?

Answer 1

Oxidation number or the oxidation state is the total number of electrons that an atom either gains or loses in order to form a chemical bond with another atom.

For example, the iron ion Fe3+, has an oxidation number of +3 because it can acquire three electrons to form a chemical bond.

Answer 2

oxidation number is also defined as Oxidation State