Oxidation number looks all but a convenient accounting tool for balancing chem equations. Or does it? Why would a molecule care about its oxidation state? Is a different oxidation state sort of a different chem specie with specific properties, reactions, etcetera... Does an oxidation state tend to maintain itself through "weak" exchange processes till some "strong" electron pushing/withdrawing agent gets into? Is it sort of dividing species into carnivores and herbivores?
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1Related: https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/61040/what-are-oxidation-states-used-for – Ivan Neretin Aug 18 '20 at 22:40
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1Thank you for the reference. It seems quite enough, indeed. – Evgeny Aug 19 '20 at 07:08