What are the sulfur oxidation states in sulfuric acid and sulfurous acid?

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What are the sulfur oxidation states in sulfuric acid and sulfurous acid?

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Answer 1 · 2017-08-26T04:44:57

For $H_{2} S O_{4}$ $H_2SO_4$ we gots $S (V I)$ $S(VI)$ .

Explanation:

For $H_{2} S_{2} O_{3}$ $H_2S_2O_3$ we gots $S_{average} (I I)$ $S_"average"(II)$ . As always the sum of the oxidation is equal to the charge on the ion/molecule, here neutral.

For $H_{2} S_{2} O_{3}$ $H_2S_2O_3$ I like to think that ONE of the oxygens in $H_{2} S O_{4}$ $H_2SO_4$ has been REPLACED by a sulfur atom, and thus assumes the SAME oxidation state (they are both Group VI elements). And so, by this formalism, we gots $S (- I I)$ $S(-II)$ and $S (+ V I)$ $S(+VI)$ .

Of course the average oxidation state is ......

$\frac{S (- I I) + S (+ V I)}{2} = + I I$ $(S(-II)+S(+VI))/2=+II$ ,

.........but sometimes the individual assignment of oxidation numbers in poly-sulfur compounds is useful.

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What are the sulfur oxidation states in sulfuric acid and sulfurous acid?

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