Oxidation states simplify the whole process of working out what is being oxidized and what is being reduced in redox reactions. See if you can guess the following oxidation numbers.
+2
-2
+3
-3
+2
-2
+3
-3
+5
-5
+2
-2
+2
-2
+5
-5
+2
-2
+6
+7
+2
-2
+7
-7
+2
-2
+3
-3
+1
-1
+2
-2
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