Question detail
What is the oxidation state of sulfur in H2SO4?
Try the question, check the answer, then read the explanation to understand the curriculum point.
At a glance
MCQ
Type
practice
Style
Topic
Oxidation, reduction and redox equations
Question
- A. +6
- B. +4
- C. 0
- D. -2
Answer
+6
Explanation
In H2SO4, the total oxidation state must equal 0. Each hydrogen is +1, and each oxygen is -2. Therefore, sulfur must be +6 to balance the equation: 2(+1) + x + 4(-2) = 0, leading to x = +6.
Common mistake
Identifying Oxidising and Reducing Agents
Students often confuse oxidising agents with reducing agents by not correctly identifying the changes in oxidation states.
To correctly identify oxidising and reducing agents, remember that an oxidising agent is reduced (gains electrons, decreases in oxidation state), while a reducing agent is oxidised (loses electrons, increases in oxidation state). For example, in the reaction where Fe^2+ is oxidised to Fe^3+ and MnO4^- is reduced to Mn^2+, Fe^2+ is the reducing agent and MnO4^- is the oxidising agent. Assign oxidation states to each species before and after the reaction to clarify their roles.
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