Question

How does assigning oxidation states in compounds help you balance redox reactions?

a. The oxidation state tells you how the bonding electrons are arrayed in an atom or molecule. b. The oxidation state tells you about an atom or molecule’s potential to accept or donate electrons. c.The oxidation state tells you the exact charge in each atom. d. The oxidation state is the equivalent of the formal charge. I'm a little stuck on chemistry homework.

Answer 1

The best answer is B.....
In my words though, the oxidation state helps with you knowing how many electrons are lost or gain by the reactant to produce its product and by knowing this you can then balance the electron transfer and ultimately the equations.