Well, the oxidation-number thing. What troubles me is the chemical equation of combustion of iron(II) disulfide:
4 FeS2 + 11 O2 --> 2 Fe2O3 + 8 SO2
This is clearly a redox. While the O.N. of O changes from 0 to -2 (reduction), what is the oxidation? Is it
(i) Iron: +2 --> +3
OR
(ii) Sulphur: -1 [as in (S2)2- disulfide] --> +4 [as in SO2]?
Thanks!