Question

What is the purpose of the contact process? Name the catalyst used in the contact process. Write the balanced equation for the reaction in the process which takes place in the presence of the catalyst.

Answer 1

Part 1: Purpose of the Contact Process

1. The contact process is a conventional method used to prepare Sulphuric acid $\left({\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4\right)$.
2. In chemical industries, the contact process is used to make Sulphuric acid on a large scale.

Part 2: The catalyst used

The name of the catalyst used in the contact process is Vanadium pentoxide $\left({\mathrm{V}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_5\right)$.

Part 3: Balanced equation

The balanced chemical equation for the reaction that occurred in the presence of Vanadium pentoxide catalyst in the contact process is written below:

$2{\mathrm{SO}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)+{\mathrm{O}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)\stackrel{{\mathrm{V}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_5}{\rightleftharpoons }2{\mathrm{SO}}_3\left(\mathrm{g}\right)+\mathrm{Heat}$

In the above reaction, both Sulphur dioxide $\left({\mathrm{SO}}_2\right)$ gas and oxygen $\left({\mathrm{O}}_2\right)$ gas are passed over the Vanadium pentoxide catalyst at the best possible temperature of 400-500^oC to produce Sulphur trioxide $\left({\mathrm{SO}}_3\right)$.