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Manganese in permanganate

The same rules apply in ions, but then the sum of the oxidation numbers equals the ion charge, not zero. Potassium permanganate is neutral. Potassium is an alkali metal and has +1, and the four oxygen atoms contribute -2 each. Manganese must then make up the rest. The high number explains why permanganate is a strong oxidising agent: manganese can take up electrons and itself be reduced. In acidic solution manganese often ends up as Mn2+.

Symbols

Example

In KMnO4: $1 + \mathrm{Mn} - 8 = 0$.

$\mathrm{Mn} = 8 - 1 = 7$, so the oxidation number is +7.

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Part of Chemistry 1: Redox reactions.