SULPHURIC ACID

By the end of the topic, students should be able to:

□ State the uses of sulphur dioxide.
□ Describe the manufacture ofsulphuric acid by the Contact
Process.
□ Describe the acid properties of sulphuric acid.
□ State some important uses of sulphuric acid.

Please tick in the box if you can do the above.

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PROPERTIES AND USES OF SULPHUR DIOXIDE
 Property 1:
-Sulphur dioxide bleaches coloured compounds by removing oxygen from
them.

 Use based from Property 1:

- As a bleaching agent. Used to bleach wood pulp which is important in the
manufacture of paper.

 Property 2:
- Sulphur dioxide is poisonous to all organisms, especially bacteria.

 Use based from Property 2:

- As a food preservative. In the food industry, sulphur dioxide is added to
food in small amounts prevent the growth of moulds and bacteria.

MANUFACTURE OF SULPHURIC ACID

 Sulphuric acid is one of the most widely used. It is, after all, the
cheapest and most readily available strong acid.

 Sulphuric acid is manufactured by the Contact Process. This is

summarized in the flow chart.

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 The diagram below shows the flow of Contact Process.

PROPERTIES OF DILUTE SULPHURIC ACID

1) Ions in the acid

 What are the ions in sulphuric acid?

_______________________________________________________

2) Reaction with metals

(Note: Copper and silver do not react with sulphuric acid)

 What are the products when metals react with sulphuric acid?

_______________________________________________________

 Write a balance equation showing a reaction between a metal and

sulphuric acid.

_______________________________________________________

3) Reaction with carbonates

 What are the products when carbonates react with sulphuric acid?

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_______________________________________________________

 Write a balance equation showing a reaction between a carbonate and

sulphuric acid.

_______________________________________________________

4) Reaction with metal oxides and hydroxides (bases)

 What are the products when metal oxides or hydroxides react with
sulphuric acid?

_______________________________________________________

 Write a balance equation showing a reaction between a hydroxide and

sulphuric acid.

_______________________________________________________

5) Types of salts produced with alkalis

 Give an example of an alkali. ___________________

 Name two salts that will be form from the given example of alkali that
you have given when you react it with sulphuric acid.
_______________________________________________________

6) Effect on indicators

 What is the effect of sulphuric acid on litmus paper and Universal

Indicator?
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________

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USES OF SULPHURIC ACID

1) Manufacture of fertilizers

 The most important use of sulphuric acid is in manufacturing

fertilizers such as ammonium sulphate, (NH4)2SO4 and superphosphate.

 Write down the equation when ammonium sulphate is formed from

sulphuric acid and ammonia.

_______________________________________________________

 Superphosphate is manufactured by reacting the raw material, calcium

phosphate Ca3(PO4)2, with concentrated sulphuric acid. The product is
called superphosphate because it is a combination of two calcium salts.

 Write down the equation when calcium phosphate react with sulphuric
acid.
_______________________________________________________

2) Manufacture of detergents

 Concentrated sulphuric acid is also used to manufacture detergents.

It is used to treat compounds called hydrocarbons to first form an
organic acid.

Hydrocarbon + concentrated sulphuric acid  organic acid

 The organic acid is then neutralized with sodium hydroxide solution to

produce the detergent.

Organic acid + sodium hydroxide  detergent

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3) As battery acid in cars
 Dilute sulphuric acid is used in batteries for cars. Lead plates and lead
(IV) oxide plates are also fitted in the batteries.

 When sulphuric acid, lead and lead (IV) oxide react, electrical energy
is produced. The electrical energy starts the car engine running.

4) Other uses of Sulphuric Acid

 Sulphuric acid is also used for making synthetic fibres and for making
paints and pigments.

 Please proceed to do exercise from:

WORKSHEET 1
WORKSHEET 2
WORKSHEET 3

WORKSHEET 1

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WORKSHEET 2

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WORKSHEET 3

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