What is the oxidation state of sulfur in sulfuric acid (H2SO4)?

In sulfuric acid (H2SO4), the oxidation state of sulfur is +6. To determine this, you can analyze the compound's structure and apply the rules for oxidation states.

Sulfuric acid consists of two hydrogen atoms, one sulfur atom, and four oxygen atoms. When calculating the overall charge of the molecule, the known oxidation states of the other elements must be accounted for.

Hydrogen typically has an oxidation state of +1. In H2SO4, there are two hydrogen atoms, contributing a total of +2. Oxygen generally has an oxidation state of -2. Since there are four oxygen atoms in the molecule, they contribute a total of -8.

To find the oxidation state of sulfur, you can set up the following equation based on the neutral charge of the molecule:

(+1 × 2) + (Oxidation state of sulfur) + (-2 × 4) = 0

This simplifies to:

+2 + (Oxidation state of sulfur) - 8 = 0

Rearranging the equation gives:

Oxidation state of sulfur = 8 - 2

Oxidation state of sulfur = +6

Therefore, the oxidation state of sulfur in sulfur