When ClO3- is oxidized, a possible product is

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When ClO3- is oxidized, a possible product is

When a chlorine-oxygen anion is oxidized, the oxidation state of chlorine increases. In chlorate, chlorine is in the +5 state. Oxidizing it pushes the state higher toward +7, which is perchlorate (ClO4−). This makes perchlorate a plausible oxidation product under strong oxidizing conditions, since chlorine goes from +5 to +7, losing electrons in the process. The other species have lower oxidation states for chlorine: hypochlorite has +1, chlorite has +3, and chlorate is +5. Those would arise from reduction steps, not oxidation, so they aren’t products of oxidizing chlorate.

When a chlorine-oxygen anion is oxidized, the oxidation state of chlorine increases. In chlorate, chlorine is in the +5 state. Oxidizing it pushes the state higher toward +7, which is perchlorate (ClO4−). This makes perchlorate a plausible oxidation product under strong oxidizing conditions, since chlorine goes from +5 to +7, losing electrons in the process. The other species have lower oxidation states for chlorine: hypochlorite has +1, chlorite has +3, and chlorate is +5. Those would arise from reduction steps, not oxidation, so they aren’t products of oxidizing chlorate.

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