Question

Which of these processes is used for the industrial production of sulphuric acid?

• A. Ostwald's process
• B. Contact process
• C. Haber process
• D. Boyle's Process

Answer 1

The correct option is B Contact process

Industrial production of sulphuric acid is done by a process called contact process. In this process, sulphuric acid is produced from sulphur, oxygen and water in four stages.

First, sulphur is burnt in oxygen to produce sulphur dioxide.

$S+O_2\to S{O}_2$

Second, the $S{O}_2$ thus formed is allowed to combine with oxygen at a high temperature in the presence of vanadium pentoxide as catalyst to produce sulphur trioxide.

$2S{O}_2+O_2\to 2S{O}_3$

Third, the $S{O}_3$ is now dissolved in concentrated sulphuric acid to form oleum.

$S{O}_3+H_{2}S{O}_4\to H_2{S}_2{O}_7$

Fourth, sulphuric acid is produced by mixing oleum with water.

$H_2{S}_2{O}_7+H_{2}O\to 2H_{2}S{O}_4$

This is how sulphuric acid is produced through the contact process.