What do oxidation states indicate?

Oxidation states, also known as oxidation numbers, help indicate the number of electrons that an atom can gain, lose, or share in a chemical reaction to achieve a stable electron configuration, commonly associated with the elemental form of the atom. In this context, the oxidation state reflects how many electrons are involved in bonding and how an atom interacts with other elements.

When we say that a specific atom has a certain oxidation state, we are essentially describing how many electrons it requires to revert to its elemental state. For instance, if an atom is in a higher oxidation state, it may need to gain electrons, while an atom in a lower oxidation state may need to lose electrons to return to its elemental form. This understanding is crucial for predicting chemical reactivity and understanding redox reactions.

The other options relate to different properties: boiling temperature, the number of protons (which defines the element itself), and mass in grams as a measure of quantity. These properties do not directly correlate with the concept of oxidation states and their role in chemical bonding and reaction dynamics. Thus, the correct association of oxidation states is with the number of electrons needed for the atom to achieve stability, aligning with the concept of elemental form.