Question

Assertion :In the Contact process, vanadium pentoxide is preferred to platinum during the catalytic oxidation of sulphur dioxide. Reason: Vanadium pentoxide is cheaper and easily available as compared to platinum

• A. Both Assertion and Reason are correct and Reason is the correct explanation for Assertion
• B. Both Assertion and Reason are correct but Reason is not the correct explanation for Assertion
• C. Assertion is correct but Reason is incorrect
• D. Both Assertion and Reason are incorrect

Answer 1

The correct option is A Both Assertion and Reason are correct and Reason is the correct explanation for Assertion

The Contact Process is the current method of producing sulfuric acid in high concentrations needed for industrial processes. Platinum used to be the catalyst for this reaction; however, as it is susceptible to reacting with arsenic impurities in the sulfur feedstock, Vanadium Oxide (V₂O₅) is now preferred. The process can be divided into five stages:

1. Combining of sulfurand oxygento form sulfuric dioxide
   
2. Purifying the sulfur dioxide in a purification unit
3. Adding an excess of oxygen to sulfuric dioxide in the presence of the catalyst Vanadium pentaoxide and temperatures of 450 °C and pressure of 1-2 atm
4. The sulfur trioxide formed is added to sulfuric acid which gives rise to oleum (disulfuric acid)
5. The oleum is then added to water to form sulfuric acid which is very concentrated