Subject: Chemistry Type of Lesson: Discussion/Lecture

Grade: 11 CSEC OBJ: Describe the industrial preparation of

sulphuric acid
Term: 1 UNIT: 6 Preparation and Collection of Non-
Metals
urat!on: 60 minutes Lesson: "# Manufacture of ulphuric !cid
$ee%: &&
Objectives
!s a result of this lesson" you #ill be able to:
1$ describe the industrial preparation of sulphuric acid%
&$ #rite e'uations for each step in(ol(ed in the manufacture of sulphuric acid%
)$ list the conditions necessary for the manufacture of sulphuric acid%
*$ list at least three uses of sulphuric acid%
+$ handle sulphuric acid carefully based on the harmful properties of this chemical%
Prerequisite Student Knowledge
,ou should be familiar #ith:
1$ #ritin- balanced e'uations%
&$ #ritin- formulae%
)$ the properties and reactions of acids" bases and salts%
Important Points
.mportant points in this lesson:
1$ ulphuric acid is manufactured industrially by the Contact process%
&$ /he Contact process can be summari0ed as:
sulphur dio1ide is produced
the sulphur dio1ide is con(erted to sulphur trio1ide 2re(ersible reaction$
the sulphur trio1ide is con(erted to concentrated sulphuric acid%
Key Terms
Contact Process ulphuric acid 3e(ersible reaction
Catalyst
Challenge Areas
ulphuric acid is able to act as a dehydratin- a-ent and as an o1idi0in- a-ent%
4sin- your te1tboo5 or the internet" find e1amples #here sulphuric acid beha(es as a
dehydratin- a-ent and as an o1idi0in- a-ent% .nclude e'uations in your ans#er%
quipment!"aterial #eeded
Pictures of fertili0er" deter-ent" car battery" dye%
#ote to Student
.n this lesson" you #ill focus on sulphuric acid% .t is important that you de(elop an a#areness of
the harmful nature of sulphuric acid 2corrosi(e$%
6hen sulphur trio1ide dissol(es in #ater in the air" a dilute solution of sulphuric acid is produced
#hich contributes to acid rain%
Introduction
1$ Introductory 'ct!(!ty
a. ,our teacher #ill sho# you pictures of deter-ent" dye" fertili0er and car battery%
i% 6hich common substance do you thin5 #as used in the manufacture of all
these products7
ulphuric acid #as used in the manufacture of all these substances%
b. .n this lesson you #ill be loo5in- at the manufacture and some properties of
sulphuric acid%
$ody o% &esson
1$ !scuss!on ) *anufacture of Su+p,ur!c 'c!d
a. ulphuric acid is manufactured industrially by the Contact process #hich
essentially in(ol(es four sta-es% /he sta-es are outlined as sho#n belo#%
i. Preparation of sulphur dio1ide%
/his can be done either by burnin- sulphur in an e1cess of air:
2s$ 8 9
&
2-$ : 9
&
2-$
or by heatin- sulphides ores 2e-% .ron pyrite$ in e1cess air:
*;e
&
2s$ 8 119
&
2-$ : &;e
&
9
)
2s$ 8 <9
&
2-$
ii. Con(ersion of sulphur dio1ide to sulphur trio1ide
ulphur dio1ide is heated in e1cess air in the presence of a (anadium
pento1ide 2=
&
9
+
$ catalyst at a temperature of *+0
o
C and a pressure of 1-& atm%
=&9+
&9
&
2-$ 8 9
&
2-$ & 9
)
2-$
*+0
o
C" 1-& atm
/he catalyst" temperature and pressure are called the conditions of the reaction
and as the name su--ests they are the conditions re'uired for the reaction to
ta5e place%
iii. Con(ersion of sulphur trio1ide to oleum
/he sulphur trio1ide is dissol(ed in concentrated sulphuric acid to produce
oleum%
9
)
2-$ 8 >
&
9
*
2l$ : >
&

&
9
?
2l$ 2oleum$
9leum is e1tremely concentrated fumin- acid and is also called @fumin-
sulphuic acidA%
ulphur trio1ide is not dissol(ed directly in #ater as the reaction is e1tremely
e1othermic producin- a lot of acid mist% .nstead sulphur trio1ide is first
dissol(ed in concentrated sulphuric acid%
iv. Production of sulphuric acid from oleum%
9leum is dissol(ed in #ater producin- concentrated sulphuric acid
>
&

&
9
?
2l$ 8 >
&
92l$ : &>
&
9
*
2l$
b. 3esearch at least t#o more uses of sulphuric acid other than the ones -i(en in the
introduction" usin- your te1t or internet% /his #ebsite may be helpful:
http://###%factmonster%com/ce6/sci/!0<61)+1%html
&$ !scuss!on ) -ropert!es of Su+p,ur!c 'c!d
a. 3esearch the properties of concentrated sulphuric acid% .nclude the follo#in-
points:
i. tron- acid
ii. Can act as a dehydratin- a-ent%
iii. Can act as an o1idisin- a-ent
b. 3esearch the properties of dilute sulphuric acid% Note
that dilute sulphuric acid beha(es as a typical dilute acid%
Closure
In.C+ass 'ss!/nments
1$ 6rite balanced e'uations for the follo#in- reactions%
i% 0inc and dilute sulphuric acid
ii% sodium o1ide and dilute sulphuric acid
iii% potassium carbonate and dilute sulphuric acid
&$ Dra# a flo# dia-ram sho#in- the Contact process%
Out.of.C+ass 'ss!/nment
6hen concentrated sulphuric acid is added to sucrose" C
1&
>
&&
9
11
" a bro#nish-blac5 solid is
obser(ed% !ccount for this obser(ation%
Supplemental
G+ossary of Terms
Contact process /he industrial process by #hich sulphuric acid is
manufactured
Su+p,ur!c ac!d ! dibasic acid #ith the formula" >
&
9
*
0e(ers!b+e
react!on
3eactions that do not -o to completion and ta5e
place in both the for#ard and re(erse direction
Cata+yst ! substance #hich alters the rate of a chemical
reaction but remains chemically unchan-ed at
the end of the reaction%
CSEC 1uest!ons
1$ 2a$ 2i$ ho# by means of chemical e'uations" the main steps
in(ol(ed in the manufacture of sulphuric acid by the Contact process" startin-
#ith sulphur%
,ou should state the reaction conditions re'uired%
2ii$ /he manufacture of sulphuric acid is a hi-hly
e1othermic process% u--est ho# this helps to ma5e the #hole process more
economical%
2iii$ u--est #hy in the manufacture of sulphuric acid" the
sulphur trio1ide is dissol(ed in sulphuric acid 2B<C$ rather than directly in #ater%
2i($ Name t#o factors that need to be ta5en into
consideration in the sitin- of a sulphuric acid plant%
2b$ !ccount for the follo#in- obser(ations:
ulphur burns in air to form an o1ide #hich is -aseous"
#hereas sodium forms an o1ide #hich is a solid" althou-h both elements belon- to the
same period of the periodic table%
2c$ Natural rubber is (ery soft and pliable% .t can be stren-thened
by the process of (ulcani0ation% .llustrate by means of a labeled dia-ram the role of
sulphur in the (ulcani0ation process%
2d$ Consider the follo#in- e'uations and determine #hether
sulphuric acid and sulphur trio1ide are actin- as reducin- or o1idisin- a-ents% ,ou should
indicate ho# you arri(ed at your ans#er%
2i$ Cu2s$ 8 &>
&
9
*
2a'$ : Cu9
*
2a'$ 8 9
&
2-$ 8 >
&
92l$
2ii$ 9
&
2-$ 8 &>
&
92l$ 8 Cl
&
2-$ : >
&
9
*
2a'$ 8 &>Cl2a'$
M!, &00? Paper )" Dues% *
0ecommended *ater!a+s
http://###%tutor(ista%com/content/chemistry/chemistry-ii/sulphur/contact-process%php
http://###%scribd%com/doc/&*1+<?&</+*6&B*6-Chemistry-;orm-*-Chapter-B-Manufacture-
ubstances-in-.ndustry
http://###%docbro#n%info/pa-e01/E1.ndChem/E1.ndChemb%htm
http://en%#i5ipedia%or-/#i5i/ulfuricFacid
B!b+!o/rap,y
1% ;er-uson" G% H >art" 3% 21BB*$ CIC Chemistry" 91ford 4ni(ersity Press
&% /indale" !nne 21BB<$ Chemistry J ! Concise 3e(ision Course for CIC" tanley /hornes
2Publishers$ Ltd%
)% Lambert" N% H Mohammed" M%!% 21BB)$ Chemistry for CIC" 3e(ised Ed% >einemann
Press