The oxidation number of sulfur in H2SO4 is +6. This is because hydrogen has an oxidation number of +1 and oxygen has an oxidation number of -2, so by the rules of oxidation numbers, sulfur must ...
The chemical name of SO4 is sulfate. Sulfate is a polyatomic ion with a charge of -2, consisting of one sulfur atom bonded to four oxygen atoms. It is commonly found in compounds such as sodium ...
There are partial charges on the S and the O in SO4 [2-], the Sulfate ion. Sulfate ions are found in sulfuric acid = H2SO4, which ionizes into SO4 [2-] + 2 H+ Oxygen is electro-negative. It has a partial negative charge. Think of water = H2O, which can break down into H+ and OH-. With oxygen pulling the electrons toward itself, the sulfur gets a partial positive charge. Sulfur can have either ...
How is (SO4)^2- Charged if S and O all are Neutral Themselves?
Why, in $\ce {SO4^2-}$ don't the 4 oxygens create double bonds. In that case the all the oxygens will have 0 formal charge while the sulfur will have -2. In what I've seen only 2 oxygens create double bonds making the sulfur have no formal charge, 2 oxygens have -1 formal charge and 2 others no formal charge.
Why (SO4)^2- does not create 4 double bonds - Chemistry Stack Exchange
Why is $\ce {OH-}$ preferentially discharged over $\ce {SO4^2-}$ in the anode? One explanation I've found is that because $\ce S$ in $\ce {SO4^2-}$ has an oxidation number of $+6$ which is a maximum and thus cannot be oxidized any further.