Study of Components (Sulphuric Acid)

Properties of Sulphuric Acid:

 Sulphuric Acid has molecular formula H2SO4 and molecular mass of 98.
 Sulphuric acid is called 'King of Chemicals' because of its extensive use in a large number
of industries.
 Sulphuric acid is a powerful protonating agent.
 It is also a moderately strong oxidising agent.
 Sulphuric acid is also a powerful dehydrating agent and is used to remove a molecule of
water from many organic compounds.
 Sulphuric Acid, H2SO4, is a dibasic acid because it contains two hydrogens atoms which
ionise in aqueous solution to become Hydrogen Ions, H(+).
H2SO4 ==> 2 H(+) + SO4(2 -)
Preparation of Sulphuric Acid:
The Contact Process is used for manufacturing sulphuric acid and fuming sulphuric acid from
sulphur dioxide, which is made by burning sulphur or by roasting sulphide ores and oxygen (in
the form of air) which combine to form sulphur trioxide in the presence of a catalyst.
Manufacture of Sulphuric Acid by Contact process
Sulphuric acid is produced from sulphur, oxygen and water via the conventional contact
process or the wet sulphuric acid process (WSA).
The Contact process can be divided into five stages:
1. Combining of sulphur and dioxygen (O2) to form sulphur dioxide
2. Purifying the sulphur dioxide in a purification unit
3. Adding an excess of dioxygen to sulphur dioxide in the presence of the catalyst vanadium
pentoxide, under temperatures of 450 °C and pressure of 1-2 atm
4. The sulphur trioxide formed is added to sulphuric acid which gives rise
to oleum (disulphuric acid)
5. The oleum is then added to water to form sulphuric acid which is very concentrated.
Chemical Properties of Sulphuric acid
1. Pure sulphuric acid does not ionise and cannot be considered an acid. Dilute sulphuric acid
ionises to form hydronium ions and sulphate ions. It is dibasic in nature (forms 2 H+ ions on
dissociation)
o H2SO4 ↔ H3O+ + HSO4–
o HSO4– + H2O ↔ H3O+ + SO42-
2. With metal: (forms corresponding sulphate salt and hydrogen; reacts with metals above H in
the reactivity series)
o Mg + H2SO4 → MgSO4 + H2↑
o Zn + H2SO4 → ZnSO4 + H2↑
o Ni + H2SO4 → NiSO4 + H2↑
3. With metal oxide: (forms salt and water)
o CuO + H2SO4 → CuSO4 + H2O
o FeO + H2SO4 → FeSO4 + H2O
4. With metal hydroxides: (forms salt and water)
o NaOH + H2SO4 → NaHSO4 + H2O
o 2NaOH + H2SO4 → Na2SO4 + 2H2O
5. With metal carbonates and bicarbonates (forms salt, carbon dioxide and water)
o nZnCO3 + H2SO4 → ZnSO4 + H2O + CO2↑
o MgCO3 + H2SO4 → MgSO4 + H2O + CO2 ↑
o 2NaHCO3 + H2SO4 → Na2SO4 + 2H2O + 2CO2 ↑
o 2KHCO3 + H2SO4 → K2SO4 + 2H2O + 2CO2 ↑
6. With metal sulphite (forms salt, water and SO2)
o Na2SO3 + H2SO4 → Na2SO4 + H2O + SO2↑
o K2SO3 + H2SO4 → K2SO4 + H2O + SO2 ↑
7. With metal sulphides (forms salt and hydrogen sulphide)
o Na2S + H2SO4 → Na2SO4 + H2S↑
o ZnS + H2SO4 → ZnSO4 + H2S↑
o FeS + H2SO4 →FeSO4 + H2S↑
8. Concentrated sulphuric acid as oxidising agent
On thermal decomposition, H2SO4 → H2O +SO2 + [O]
Nascent oxygen is responsible for oxidising action of conc.H2SO4
o Oxidation of Carbon
C + 2H2SO4 → CO2 + 2H2O +2SO2↑
o Oxidation of sulphur
S + 2H2SO4 → 3SO2 + 2H2O

9. Concentrated sulphuric acid as dehydrating agent

It readily removes water from other compounds due to high affinity for water
o Dehydration of sugar: (sugar gets charred as only Carbon is left when water is removed
from it)
C6H12O6 conc. sulphuric acid> 6C + 6H2O
C12H22O11(s) conc. sulphuric acid> 12C(s) (sugar charcoal) + 11H2O
o Dehydration of copper (II) sulphate: (removes water of crystallization, blue crystals turn
white)
CuSO4.5H2O conc. sulphuric acid>CuSO4(s) + 5H2O
10. Non-volatile nature of sulphuric acid
Reaction with sodium chloride and potassium chloride
o NaCl (s) + H2SO4 (l) → NaHSO4 (s) + HCl ↑
KCl (s) + H2SO4 (l) → KHSO4 (s) + HCl↑
o 2NaNO3 + H2SO4 → Na2SO4 +HNO3
2KNO3 + H2SO4 → K2SO4 +HNO3
There are mainly two types of tests are performed for Sulphuric Acid,
1. Test for Dilute sulphuric acid.
2. Test for Concentrated sulphuric acid.
Test for dilute sulphuric acid
1. Barium chloride Test:
Barium chloride when added to dilute H2SO4, a white precipitate of Barium Sulphate (BaSO4)
and Hydrochloric Acid (HCL) are formed.
BaCl2 + H2SO4 → BaSO4 + 4HCl
 2. Lead Nitrate Test:
Lead nitrate when added to dilute H2SO4, a white precipitate of Lead Sulphate (PbSO4) and
Nitric Acid (HNO3) are formed.
Pb(NO3)2 + H2SO4 → PbSO4 + 2HNO3
Test for Concentrated sulphuric acid
1. Addition of copper:
Concentrated sulphuric acid oxidises copper to copper sulphate.

Cu + 2H2SO4 → CuSO4 + SO2 + H2 O

Copper Hot Copper Sulphur Water
sulphuric acid sulphate dioxide

2. An addition of common salt(sodium chloride):

Common salt is added to concentrated Sulphuric acid, hydrogen chloride, a colourless, pungent-
smelling acid gas is evolved
NaCl + H2SO4 → NaHSO4 + HCl
Uses of sulphuric acid
1. Sulphuric acid, because of its wide applications, is referred as the king of chemicals.
2. It is used in the manufacture of:
 Fertilisers like ammonium sulphate and superphosphate.
 Dyes, pigments and paints.
 Explosives such as TNT.
 Other important chemicals like hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid and sodium
carbonate.
3. It is used in the refining of petroleum.
4. As a pickling agent.
5. As a laboratory agent, and a dehydrating and oxidising agent.