Rules to Remember:
* Oxygen's oxidation state is typically -2, except in peroxides (where it's -1) and when bonded to fluorine (where it's positive).
* The sum of the oxidation states in a polyatomic ion must equal the charge of the ion.
Applying the Rules:
1. Oxygen: We have three oxygen atoms, each with an oxidation state of -2. This contributes a total of 3 * (-2) = -6 to the overall charge.
2. Sulfur: Since the sulfite ion (SO₃⁻²) has a charge of -2, and the oxygen atoms contribute -6, the sulfur atom must have an oxidation state of +4 to balance it out.
Therefore, the oxidation states are:
* Sulfur (S): +4
* Oxygen (O): -2
