A convention for representing a charge of an atom embedded within a compound, if the compound were purely ionic. For example, H 2 O is a covalent compound; if it were ionic, the hydrogens would be H + (oxidation number +1) and the oxygen would be O 2- (oxidation number -2). Oxidation number rises for at least one atom in a compound that is oxidized ; oxidation number becomes smaller if the compound is reduced .
OXIDATION NUMBER (OXIDATION STATE; POSITIVE VALENCE)
Meaning of OXIDATION NUMBER (OXIDATION STATE; POSITIVE VALENCE) in English
General chemistry English glossary. Английский глоссарий общей химии. 2012