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Sulphuric acid also known as hydrogen sulfate is a mineral acid formed through a natural process. This acid is known as the king of chemicals due to its demand in various industries. The consistency of sulphuric acid is oily and looks like heavy syrup.
Also Read: Acids, Bases and Salts
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Key Terms: Sulphur, Acid, Strong Acid, Dibasic, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Chemical, Water, Acid Rain, Sulphuric Acid, Mineral Acid
What Is Sulphuric Acid?
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The mineral acid sulphuric acid is defined below:
- Sulphuric acid contains one sulphur atom, four oxygen atoms with two hydrogen atoms which are attached to two of the oxygen atoms forming the -OH group.
- The chemical formula of sulphuric acid is H2SO4.
- Sulphuric acid is a colourless, odourless substance with an oily liquid texture.
- This corrosive acid is used as an important chemical in industries.
- Sulphuric acid is inherently and highly soluble in water.
- Sulphuric acid is also a component of acid rain.
Structure Of Sulphuric Acid
Also Read: Sulphur Cycle
Uses Of Sulphuric Acid
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The use of sulphuric acid in different fields are:
Use Of Sulphuric Acid At Home
- Sulphuric acid is used in acid drain cleaners.
Use Of Sulphuric Acid In Industry
- Sulphuric acid is used in wastewater processing.
- Sulphuric acid is used for the production of cleaning agents.
- Sulphuric acid is used for producing explosives.
- Sulphuric acid is used in the paper industry for the manufacture of aluminium sulphates.
Use Of Sulphuric Acid For The Production Of Drugs
- Sulphuric acid is used in the manufacture of chemotherapeutic drugs.
- Sulphuric acid is used to treat skin infections.
- Sulphuric acid is used in many ointments as a basic ingredient.
Sulphuric Acid And Catalyst
- Sulphuric acid is used as a catalyst in the manufacturing process of nylon.
Other Uses Of Sulphuric Acid
- Sulphuric acid is used in the manufacturing of batteries.
- Sulphuric acid is used in making detergents like trisodium phosphate.
- Sulphuric acid is used in farming potatoes.
- Sulphuric acid is used in printing ink.
- Sulphuric acid is used in making paper.
- Sulphuric acid is used in the production of perfume.
- Sulphuric acid is used in the manufacturing of disinfectants.
Also Read:
| Topics Related To Sulphuric Acid | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sulphuric Acid | Hydro sulphuric Acid Formula | Sulfurous Acid |
Chemical Properties Of Sulphuric Acid
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A few chemical properties of sulphuric acid are:
- Sulphuric acid is highly corrosive, reactive and soluble in water.
- Sulphuric acid is diprotic and ionises in two stages in the process of an aqueous solution.
- Sulphuric acid has very low volatility.
- Sulphuric acid is a strong dibasic acid.
- Sulphuric acid is a good oxidising agent and has a very high oxidising power.
Physical Properties Of Sulphuric Acid
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Some physical properties of sulphuric acid are:
- The boiling point of sulphuric acid is 611 K.
- Sulphuric acid is a thick, colourless and oily fluid in appearance.
- The melting point of sulphuric acid is 10 °C.
- Sulphuric acid has a specific gravity of 1.84 at 298 K.
- The molecular weight or molar mass of sulphuric acid is 98.079 g/mol.
Also Read:
| Chapter Related Topic | ||
|---|---|---|
| Oxoacids of Sulphur | Acids, Bases and Salts | Di Polybasic Acid Base |
Things To Remember
- Sulphuric acid is known as the king of chemicals.
- Sulphuric acid is also a component of acid rain.
- Sulphuric acid is used in wastewater processing.
- Sulphuric acid is a strong dibasic acid.
- Sulphuric acid is used in farming potatoes.
Previous Year's Questions
- The pH of a solution obtained by mixing of 100mL of a HCl solution of pH=2 with 400mL of another HCl solution of pH=3 will be...[AMUEEE 2015]
- The tendency of BF3,BCI3andBBr3BF3,BCI3andBBr3 behave as Lewis acid decreases in the sequence...[NEET 1990]
- 50mL of 0.02MNaOH solution is mixed 50mL of 0.06M acetic acid solution, the pH of resulting solution is (pKa of acetic acid is 4.76,log5=0.70)...[AP EAPCET 2019]
- The number of species of the following that can act both as Bronsted acids and bases is..[AP EAPCET 2019]
- Acetic acid dissociates 1.3%. What will be the pH of N/10 solution of the acid.[UPSEE 2019]
- Hard acids prefer to combine with...[KEAM]
- The pH of normal rain water is...[KEAM]
- The pH of 0.1M solution of the salt, BA, formed from the acid HA and base BOH is...[KEAM]
- Find pH of 0.1 M NaOH solution.
- The compound that is not a Lewis acid, is
- The conjugate acid of CH3NH2 is:…
- The pH of 10−8MNaOH is:…
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- The pH value of 0.01 N NaOH solution is
- What is the pH for a neutral solution at the body temperature (38∘C)?
- Solid Ba(NO3)2 is gradually dissolved in a 1.0×10−4 M Na2CO3 solution..[JEE Main 2013]
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- The pH of rain water, is approximately :..[JEE Main 2019]
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Sample Questions
Ques. How is sulphuric acid neutralized? (1 Mark)
Ans. The baking soda neutralizes the light acids and strong acids such as vinegar, sulphuric and muriatic acids.
Ques. Name the catalyst used in the contact process during the conversion of sulphur dioxide to sulphuric acid. (1 Mark)
Ans. Platinized asbestos or V2O5
Ques. What are the uses of sulphuric acid? (7 Marks)
Ans. The use of sulphuric acid in different fields are:
Use Of Sulphuric Acid At Home
- Sulphuric acid is used in acid drain cleaners.
Use Of Sulphuric Acid In Industry
- Sulphuric acid is used in wastewater processing.
- Sulphuric acid is used for the production of cleaning agents.
- Sulphuric acid is used for producing explosives.
- Sulphuric acid is used in the paper industry for the manufacture of aluminium sulphates.
Use Of Sulphuric Acid For The Production Of Drugs
- Sulphuric acid is used in the manufacture of chemotherapeutic drugs.
- Sulphuric acid is used to treat skin infections.
- Sulphuric acid is used in many ointments as a basic ingredient.
Sulphuric Acid And Catalyst
- Sulphuric acid is used as a catalyst in the manufacturing process of nylon.
Other Uses Of Sulphuric Acid
- Sulphuric acid is used in the manufacturing of batteries.
- Sulphuric acid is used in making detergents like trisodium phosphate.
- Sulphuric acid is used in farming potatoes.
- Sulphuric acid is used in printing ink.
- Sulphuric acid is used in making paper.
- Sulphuric acid is used in the production of perfume.
- Sulphuric acid is used in the manufacturing of disinfectants.
Ques. What is sulphuric acid a molecular or an ionic? (1 Mark)
Ans. Water forms a compromise between H3O+, H2O and -OH, which does not make anything ionic. Sulphuric acid is a compound which is entirely covalent bonds.
Ques. Define sulphuric acid. (3 Marks)
Ans. The mineral acid sulphuric acid is defined below:
- Sulphuric acid contains one sulphur atom, four oxygen atoms with two hydrogen atoms which are attached to two of the oxygen atoms forming the -OH group.
- The chemical formula of sulphuric acid is H2SO4.
- Sulphuric acid is a colourless, odourless substance with an oily liquid texture.
- This corrosive acid is used as an important chemical in industries.
- Sulphuric acid is inherently and highly soluble in water.
- Sulphuric acid is also a component of acid rain.
Ques. Sulphuric acid is said to be dibasic acid. What is meant by the term “dibasic”? (2 Marks)
Ans. The basicity of an acid is the number of H+ ions that one formula unit of an acid liberates, e.g., Monobasic = HCl, HNO3, etc. & Dibasic = H2SO4, H2SO3 etc.
Each acid can form many kinds of salts, as it has hydrogen ions. Sulphuric acid can form two kinds of salts, i.e., SO42- and HSO4–. It ionizes in water to form two hydrogen ions. Hence, it is said to be dibasic.
Ques. There are bacterias that obtain energy by oxidizing sulphur and producing sulphuric acid as a by-product. In the laboratory first step of conversion of sulphur to sulphuric acid is by producing sulphur dioxide and then sulphur dioxide is converted to sulphur trioxide which later reacts with water, producing sulphuric acid. Answer the following questions. (5 Marks)
(i) Name a catalyst which is used in industries to speeds the conversion of sulphur dioxide to sulphur trioxide.
(ii) Mention the equation of the conversion of sulphur dioxide to sulphur trioxide and also tell why does this reaction supplies energy?
(iii) What is the name of the compound formed between sulphur trioxide and sulphuric acid?
Ans. (i) When the conversion of SO2 to SO3 takes place according to the following reaction.
SO2 + O2 ⟶ 2SO3 + 45 kcal. The 45 kcal energy is supplied by the above reaction.
(ii) Platinum and Vanadium pentaoxide.
(iii) Oleum (H2S2O7).
Ques. What are the chemical properties of sulphuric acid? (3 Marks)
Ans. A few chemical properties of sulphuric acid are:
- Sulphuric acid is highly corrosive, reactive and soluble in water.
- Sulphuric acid is diprotic and ionises in two stages in the process of an aqueous solution.
- Sulphuric acid has very low volatility.
- Sulphuric acid is a strong dibasic acid.
- Sulphuric acid is a good oxidising agent and has a very high oxidising power.
Ques. Mention balanced equations for the three chemical reactions that take place during the conversion of sulphur dioxide to sulphuric acid in the contact process. (3 Marks)
Ans. The three chemical reactions are: S + O2 → SO2
2SO2 + O2 → 2SO3
SO3 + H2SO4 → H2S2O7 (Oleum)
H2S2O7 + H2O → 2H2SO4
Ques. List a few physical properties of sulphuric acid. (3 Marks)
Ans. Some physical properties of sulphuric acid are:
- The boiling point of sulphuric acid is 611 K.
- Sulphuric acid is a thick, colourless and oily fluid in appearance.
- The melting point of sulphuric acid is 10 °C.
- Sulphuric acid has a specific gravity of 1.84 at 298 K.
- The molecular weight or molar mass of sulphuric acid is 98.079 g/mol.
Ques. Name an ore which on roasting gives sulphur dioxide. (1 Mark)
Ans. Zinc blende or ZnS
2ZnS + 3O2 ⟶ 2ZnO + 2SO2 ↑
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