Sulphuric Acid

The uses of sulphuric acid in daily life

1. Sulphuric acid is an important chemical used to make other
manufactured substances.
2. A big portion of sulphuric acid is used to make fertiliser :
a) The fertilizer, ammonium sulphate, is prepared from the
reaction between sulphuric acid and aqueous ammonia.

H2SO4 + 2NH3

(NH4)2SO4 (ammonium

b) The fertilizer, potassium sulphate, is prepared from the

reaction between sulphuric acid and potassium hydroxide.

H2SO4of
+ sulphuric
2KOH
K2SO4
3. The other uses
acid
are+ 2H2O (potassium
a) To manufacture detergent
b) To manufacture synthetic fibers (a type of polyment)
c) To manufacture paint pigment
d) As an electrolyte in lead acid accumulators
e) To remove the metal oxide from metal surfaces before
electroplating

The manufacture of sulpuric acid

1. Sulphuric acid is manufactured by contact process in the

industry.
2. The raw material used in the contact process are sulphur,
air and water.
3. The contact process involve three stages :
Sulphur
Sulphuric acid

Sulphur dioxide

Sulphur trioxide

4. Stage 1 : Production of sulphur dioxide gas, SO2, by

burning of sulphur with air.
S + O2

SO2

5. Stage 2 : Conversion of sulphur dioxide to sulphur trioxide,

SO3 in the following conditions :
a) The presence of vanadium (V) oxide, V2O5 as
catalyst
b) A temperature of between 450C - 550C.
c) A pressure of one atmosphere
2SO2

+ O2

2SO3

1.Stage
Sulphur
is a poisonous
andhere
acidic
6.
3 :dioxide
Two process
are involved
: gas that can cause
environmental
sulphur
dioxide can cause
a) Sulphur pollution.
trioxide isInhaling
dissolves
in concentrated
lung diseases.
sulphuric acid to produce oleum, H2S2O7, a viscous
2. The source
of sulphur dioxide is from the burning of fossil
liquid.
fuels such as petroleum. Most of the fossil fuels contain some
sulphur. SO3 + H2SO4
H2S2O7
3. Sulphur dioxide gas dissolve in atmospheric water to produce
b) Oleum
is then
diluted
with water
to produce
sulphurous
acid,
H2SO3
and suphuric
acid,
H2SO4. The
concentrated
sulphric
acid. can causes acid rain.
presence
of these acids
rain water
4. The effects of acid rain as follows :
H2S2O7concrete
+ H2O
a) Corrodes
buildings2H2SO4
and metal structures
Environment
Pollution
by
Sulphur
Dioxide
b) Destroys trees and plants in forests
c) Makes the soil acidic here hence unsuitable for
growth of plants
d) Makes the water in lakes and rivers acidic and may
destroy aquatic life