Why are fluorine gas and permanganate ion strong oxidizing agents?

Fluorine gas ($F_2$) and the permanganate ion ($Mn{O}_4^{-}$) are classified as strong oxidizing agents because they possess high standard reduction potentials ($E^{\circ }$), which indicate a strong thermodynamic tendency to accept electrons during oxidation-reduction reactions.1

In the context of electrochemistry, the strength of an oxidizing agent is determined by its position in a table of standard reduction potentials. Reagents higher on this list have a greater tendency to be reduced.1

• Fluorine gas ($F_2$): As the most electronegative element, fluorine has the highest reduction potential (+2.87 volts) of the substances typically listed in these tables. This makes it the most powerful oxidizing element, capable of spontaneously oxidizing the products of all other half-reactions.21
• Permanganate ion ($Mn{O}_4^{-}$): With a high reduction potential of +1.51 volts, the permanganate ion is a powerful oxidant. In this state, manganese is in its highest oxidation state (+7), and it readily accepts electrons to be reduced, typically to the manganese(II) ion ($M{n}^{2+}$).31

Because these substances have high positive $E^{\circ }$ values, they effectively drive the transfer of electrons from other species, confirming their status as potent oxidizing agents.1