Assertion: The oxidation numbers are artificial, they are useful as a ?book-keeping? device of electrons in reactions. Reason: The oxidation numbers do not usually represent real charges on atoms, they are simply conventions that indicate what the maximum charge could possibly be on an atom in a molecule.

• A. If both assertion and reason are true and the reason is the correct explanation of the assertion.
• B. If both assertion and reason are true but reason is not the correct explanation of the assertion.
• C. If assertion is true but reason is false.
• D. If the assertion and reason both are false.
• E. If assertion is false but reason is true.