Page 264 - Chemistry ICSE Class X

11 Study of Compounds–

Sulphuric Acid

Sulphuric Acid
CONTENTS
Molecular formula H SO
ͻ ŝƐĐŽǀĞƌLJ ŽĨ ƐƵůƉŚƵƌŝĐ ĂĐŝĚ Molecular mass 2 98 u 4
ͻ KĐĐƵƌƌĞŶĐĞ ŽĨ ƐƵůƉŚƵƌŝĐ ĂĐŝĚ
ͻ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů ŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶĐĞ ŽĨ ƐƵůƉŚƵƌŝĐ Molar mass 98 g mol –1
ĂĐŝĚ
ͻ DĂŶƵĨĂĐƚƵƌĞ ŽĨ ƐƵůƉŚƵƌŝĐ ĂĐŝĚ
ͻ WŚLJƐŝĐĂů ĂŶĚ ĐŚĞŵŝĐĂů ƉƌŽƉĞƌƟĞƐ ŽĨ
ƐƵůƉŚƵƌŝĐ ĂĐŝĚ
Structure of sulphuric acid
ͻ dĞƐƚƐ ĨŽƌ ƐƵůƉŚƵƌŝĐ ĂĐŝĚ ĂŶĚ
ƐƵůƉŚĂƚĞƐ
Discovery of Sulphuric Acid

ƒ Sulphuric acid was probably prepared around 1000 A.D.
ƒ During 16th century, it was being prepared by distilling ferrous
sulphate crystals (called green vitriol). Sulphuric acid was therefore
called oil of green vitriol.
distil
2FeSO .7H O(s) o Fe O (s) + SO (g) + SO (g) + 14H O(l)
3
2
2
4
2
3
2
ferrous sulphate sulphuric acid
(light green crystals) (oily liquid)
ƒ John Roebuck (1746) developed a process for large scale production
of sulphuric acid. This process was called Lead Chamber Process.
ƒ In 1831, the Contact Process for the manufacture of sulphuric acid
was developed by Peregrine Phillips.
The contact process over the period of time replaced the lead chamber
process because it produced high quality of higher concentration sulphuric
acid.
Occurrence of Sulphuric Acid

Sulphuric acid occurs as free acid as well as in the combined form.
ƒ As free sulphuric acid, it is found in trace amount in certain mineral
springs. It is also found in water around the deposits of metal
sulphides.
ƒ In the combined form, sulphuric acid occurs as sulphate minerals.

Industrial Importance of Sulphuric Acid

Sulphuric acid (H SO ) is probably the most important heavy chemical. It
2
4
ſPFU GZVGPUKXG WUG KP VJG OCPWHCEVWTG QH fertilisers, explosives, dyestuffs,
plastics, lacquers, paints and pigments and a lot of other valuable products.
+V KU WUGF KP EQCN VCT CPF RGVTQNGWO TGſPKPI NGCVJGT VCPPKPI
electroplating, textile and paper industry and in many metallurgical
processes. That is why sulphuric acid is known as the “King of Chemicals”.