Question

Name the gas which cannot be dried by passing through concentrated sulfuric acid.

Answer 1

• Ammonia $\left({\mathrm{NH}}_3\right)$ is a basic substance.
• As a result, it interacts with sulfuric acid $\left({\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4\right)$ to generate ammonium sulfate $\left({\left({\mathrm{NH}}_4\right)}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4\right)$ making it impossible to dry with sulfuric acid.
• Reaction will be:
  $2{\mathrm{NH}}_3\left(aq\right)+{\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4\left(aq\right)⟶\left({\mathrm{NH}}_4{)}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4\right(aq)$
• Therefore, Ammonia gas cannot be dried by passing through concentrated sulfuric acid.