The oxidation state of sulfur (S) in SO₂ is +4. Here's how to determine it:

* Oxygen's Oxidation State: Oxygen usually has an oxidation state of -2.

* Overall Charge: SO₂ is a neutral molecule, so the sum of the oxidation states must equal zero.

* Calculation: Let 'x' be the oxidation state of sulfur. We have:

* x + 2(-2) = 0

* x - 4 = 0

* x = +4

Therefore, the oxidation state of sulfur in SO₂ is +4.