In the compound H2SO4 sulfuric acid , the oxidation state of the sulfur atom can be determined by considering the oxidation states of the other atoms in the compound and the overall charge of the molecule.First, let's assign oxidation states to the hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Hydrogen typically has an oxidation state of +1, and oxygen typically has an oxidation state of -2.The compound H2SO4 has two hydrogen atoms, one sulfur atom, and four oxygen atoms. Using the oxidation states mentioned above, we can set up an equation:2 +1 + 1 S + 4 -2 = 0Here, S represents the oxidation state of the sulfur atom, and the equation is set to 0 because the compound is neutral no net charge .Solving for S:2 - 8 + S = 0S = 6So, the oxidation state of the sulfur atom in H2SO4 is +6.