Sulphuric Acid -Syllabus 2024-2025

Large scale preparation, its behaviour as an acid when dilute, as an oxidizing

agent when concentrated - oxidation of carbon and sulphur; as a dehydrating
agent - dehydration of sugar and copper (II) sulphate crystals; its non-volatile
nature.

• Manufacture by Contact Process Equations with conditions where

applicable).
• Its behaviour as an acid when dilute -reaction with metal, metal oxide, metal
hydroxide, metal carbonate, metal bicarbonate, metal sulphite, metal sulphide.

• Concentrated sulphuric acid as an oxidizing agent - the oxidation of carbon

and sulphur.

• Concentrated sulphuric acid as a dehydrating agent-

(a) the dehydration of sugar (b) Copper (II) sulphate crystals.

• Non-volatile nature of sulphuric acid - reaction with sodium or potassium

chloride and sodium or potassium nitrate.

• Identification and Tests for both dilute and concentrated sulphuric acid.

SULPHURIC ACID – Notes

*
Chemical Formula of sulphuric acid : H2SO4
*
Sulphuric acid is called king of chemicals since it is one of the most
widely used chemicals both in industry as well as in laboratory.

*
Sulphuric acid was also called oil of vitriol as it was produced as an oily,
viscous liquid by distilling green vitriol ( hydrated iron (II) sulphate)
*
Occurrence : In the free state,
it is found in traces in mineral springs and also occur near sulphide ore
In the combined state,
it occurs naturally as metallic sulphates

* General Method of preparing sulphuric acid:

Oxidation of Sulphur by hot, conentrated nitric acid
S +6HNO3(hot, conc) → H2SO4 + 2H2O + 6NO2

* Manufacture of sulphuric acid:

Name of the process: contact process
Step I
Production of Sulphur dioxide by burning Sulphur or iron pyrites in oxygen/air:
S + O2 → SO2
4FeS2 + 11O2 → 2Fe2O3 + 8SO2
Iron pyrites

The gases entering the contact tower (step II) must be purified as follows:
* Dust particles are removed by
electrostatic precipitators & downward flow of steam /water
* Moisture is removed by concentrated sulphuric acid
* Arsenious oxide is removed by iron (III) hydroxide
Step II
Catalytic oxidation of Sulphur dioxide: (contact tower)

2SO2 + O2 2SO3 +

Catalyst: vanadium pentoxide or platinized asbestos

Promoter: potassium oxide
Temperature: 450oC – 500oC
Pressure: 1 – 2 atmospheres
Factors favouring the forward reaction:
High temperature
High pressure
Step III A
Absorbtion of Sulphur trioxide (absorbtion tower)
SO3 + H2SO4 → H2S2O7

Step III B Oleum or pyrosulphuric acid

Dilution of oleum (dilution tank)

H2S2O7 + H2O → 2H2SO4

Points to Note:
1. Burning of Sulphur / iron pyrites in oxygen is preferred to purified air since
heat energy is wasted in heating unreactive component of the air (nitrogen)

2. The gaseous mixture (SO2 + O2) is purified before entering the contact tower
as the impurities tend to deactivate or poison the catalyst.

3. Vanadium pentoxide is preferred to platinized asbestos since it is cheaper

and less easily poisoned.

4. Catalyst is only initially heated since the catalytic oxidation of sulphur dioxide
is an exothermic reaction and the heat produced maintains the required
temperature.

5. Temperature around 450oC – 500oC is preferred as it favours the

forward reaction thereby increase the yield of Sulphur trioxide.
6. Though high pressure favour high yield of Sulphur trioxide, an
optimum pressure of 1 -2 atm is used because high pressure may cause
i) damage the lead pipes and the acid resistant tower

ii) decomposition of the catalyst

7. Sulphur trioxide is the acid anhydride of sulphuric acid as sulphuric acid can
be formed by dissolving SO3 in water

Acid anhydride + water → acid

SO3 + H2O → H2SO4

8. Though SO3 is an acid anhydride of sulphuric acid , it is not directly

absorbed in water as the reaction is exothermic resulting in the production
of dense fog of sulphuric acid particle which do not condense easily.

* Physical properties of sulphuric acid:

1. colorless
2. odourless
3. slight sour taste
4. dense , oily liquid
5. hygroscopic in nature (strong affinity for water)
6. heavier than water
7. boiling point – 338oC (non volatile acid)
8. pure acid is a non conductor of electricity whereas
dilute acid conducts electricity
9. concentrated sulphuric acid is highly corrosive and chars the skin black.
10. soluble in water in all proportions and the the reaction is exothermic.
Points to Note:
a. Sulphuric acid is kept in air tight bottles as it absorbs moisture from
the surroundings.
b. Since concentrated sulphuric acid absorbs moisture it is used as
drying agent.

c. Dilution of sulphuric acid is done by pouring acid into water and not
water into acid as the reaction between water and sulphuric acid is
exothermic.
c(i) When water is added to acid a large amount of heat is produced
and the heat turns the water into steam causing the acid to spurt.

c(ii) When acid is poured into a given amount of water with constant stirring,
acid being heavier will settle down and the heat evolved is dissipated in
the water thus preventing spurting of acid.

* Chemical properties of sulphuric acid:

The chemical properties of sulphuric acid depends upon whether the acid is
dilute or concentrated.
I . Acidic Properties of dilute sulphuric acid:
Sulphuric acid dissociates in aqueous solution producing two [H+] ion per
molecule.
The presence of hydronium (H2O + H+→H3O+) ions imparts acidic properties to
aqueous solution of sulphuric acid.

a. Reaction with active metals: (Displacement reactions)

The metals above hydrogen in the activity series react with dilute
sulphuric acid to give their corresponding metallic sulphates and
hydrogen gas.

Active metal + Acid → Salt + Hydrogen

Mg + H2SO4 → MgSO4 + H2(g)
Zn + H2SO4 → ZnSO4 + H2(g)
Fe + H2SO4 → FeSO4 + H2(g)
Observations: effervescence of colourless and odourless gas.
The gas (hydrogen) evolved burns with a pop sound

b. Reaction with bases : (neutralization reaction)

Oxides or hydroxides of a metal are called bases
[including ammonium hydroxide}
Water soluble bases are called alkalis
Dilute sulphuric acid reacts with bases to give salt and water.
Base + Acid → Salt + Water

Na2O + H2SO4 → Na2SO4 + H2O

MgO + H2SO4 → MgSO4 + H2O
ZnO + H2SO4 → ZnSO4 + H2O

CuO + H2SO4 → CuSO4 + H2O

Black blue

2NaOH + H2SO4 → Na2SO4 + 2H2O

Zn(OH)2 + H2SO4 → ZnSO4 + 2H2O

c. Reaction with metal carbonates / metal bicarbonates:

Metallic carbonates/ bicarbonate + Acid → Salt + Water + carbon dioxide

Na2CO3 + H2SO4 → Na2SO4 + H2O + CO2(g)

CuCO3 + H2SO4 → CuSO4 + H2O + CO2(g)

KHCO3 + H2SO4 → K2SO4 + 2H2O + CO2(g)

Observations: Brisk effervescence of colourless , odourless gas.

The gas (carbondioxide) evolved turns lime water milky

and has no effect on a filter paper dipped in potassium
 permanganate solution or a filter paper dipped in
acidified potassium dichromate solution.

d. Reaction with metal sulphites / metal bisulphites:

Metallic sulphites/ bisulphites + Acid → Salt + Water + Sulphur dioxide

Na2SO3 + H2SO4 → Na2SO4 + H2O + SO2(g)

2NaHSO3 + H2SO4 → Na2SO4 + 2H2O + 2SO2(g)

Observations:
A colourless gas with a suffocating odour of burning sulphur
is evolved which turns moist blue litmus paper red.
The gas (sulphur dioxide) evolved turns lime water milky and
turns a filter paper dipped in pink potassium permanganate
solution colourless and a filter paper dipped in orange acidified
potassium dichromate solution green

e. Reaction with metal sulphides :

Metallic sulphides + Acid → Salt + Hydrogen sulphide

Na2S + H2SO4 → Na2SO4 + H2S(g)

FeS + H2SO4 → FeSO4 + H2S (g)
ZnS + H2SO4 → ZnSO4 + H2S (g)

Observations:
A colourless gas (hydrogen sulphide) with a foul smell of rotten
eggs is evolved
The gas (hydrogen sulphide) evolved turns a moist lead acetate
paper silvery black.
2. Concentrated sulphuric acid as an oxidizing agent:

The oxidizing property of the concentrated sulphuric acid is due to the nascent
oxygen formed on thermal decomposition of conc. Sulphuric acid

H2SO4 → H2O + SO2 + [O]

Nascent oxygen

Nonmetal +conc sulphuric acid → Oxidized product + water+ Sulphur dioxide

i) Oxidation of Carbon
C + 2H2SO4 → CO2 + 2H2O + 2SO2

ii) Oxidation of Sulphur

S + 2H2SO4 → 3SO2 + 2H2O

3. Concentrated sulphuric acid as a non volatile acid:

Concentrated sulphuric acid is a less volatile or non volatile acid with

a high boiling point. It displaces the volatile acid from their salts

Salt of volatile acid + non volatile acid → salt + displaced volatile acid

NaCl + H2SO4 (conc) <200oC NaHSO4 + HCl(g)

2NaCl + H2SO4 (conc) >200oC Na2SO4 + 2HCl(g)

Observation:
A gas (HCl) is evolved which gives dense white fumes with a
glass rod dipped in ammonium hydroxide

KNO3 + H2SO4 (conc) <200oC KHSO4 + HNO3

2KNO3 + H2SO4 (conc) >200oC K2SO4 + 2HNO3

4. Concentrated sulphuric acid as a dehydrating agent:

Concentrated sulphuric acid removes elements of water (hydrogen and

oxygen in the ratio 2:1) from the compounds due to it strong affinity for
water.

Concentrated sulphuric acid also removes water of crystallization from

hydrated salts

i)Dehydration of sugar
C12H22O11 conc H2SO4 12 C + 11H2O
Cane sugar Sugar charcoal

Observation: Black spongy mass

Steam is seen to be evolved

ii)Dehydration of hydrated copper(II) sulphate

CuSO4. 5H2O conc H2SO4 CuSO4 + 5H2O

Observation:
Blue crystals turn into white amorphous (powdery) substance

*Test for Concentrated sulphuric acid:

i) Reaction with sodium chloride:

NaCl + H2SO4 (conc) <200oC NaHSO4 + HCl(g)

Observation:
A gas (HCl) is evolved which gives dense white fumes with a
glass rod dipped in ammonium hydroxide
ii) Reaction with copper:
Cu + 2H2SO4 → CuSO4 + 2H2O + SO2
Observation:

The gas (sulphur dioxide) evolved turns lime water milky and

turns a filter paper dipped in pink potassium permanganate

solution colourless and a filter paper dipped in orange acidified

potassium dichromate solution green
*Tests for dilute sulphuric acid:
i)Using barium chloride solution:
BaCl2 + H2SO4 (dil) →2HCl + BaSO4↓
White ppt

Observation: white precipitate

ii) Using lead nitrate solution:
Pb(NO3)2 + H2SO4 (dil) →2HNO3 + PbSO4↓
White ppt

Observation: white precipitate

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