Sulfuric+Acids

Sulfuric acid (H2SO4) is a clear, colorless, odorless, viscous liquid that is very corrosive. It is used to make storage batteries, fertilizers, __paper__ products, textiles, explosives and pharmaceuticals.


 * Sulfuric ** acid is a very strong mineral [|acid] . Its chemical composition is ** H 2 SO 4 **. Its principle use is in car batteries, followed by fertilizers.

- 40 __million__ tons of sulfuric acid was produced in 1990 - Rayon is made with sulfuric acid Sulfuric acid is a very polar liquid, having a dielectric of around 100. It has a high electrical conductivity.
 * Interesting Facts**

Sulfuric acid is produced from sulfur, oxygen and water Sulfuric acid is the product of the U.S. chemical industry produced in largest quantity in terms of mass. About 40 __million__ tons are produced annually. Sulfuric acid can be very poisonous. Symptoms from swallowing may also include: Symptoms from breathing in the poison may include:
 *  Breathing difficulty due to throat swelling
 * Burns in the mouth and throat
 * Drooling
 * Fever
 * Rapid development of low blood pressure
 * Severe pain in the mouth and throat
 * Speech problems
 * Vomiting, with blood
 * Vision loss
 *  Bluish __skin__, lips , and fingernails
 * Breathing difficulty
 * Body weakness
 *  Chest pain (tightness)
 *  Choking
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">Coughing
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"> Coughing up blood
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"> Dizziness
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">Low blood pressure
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"> Rapid pulse
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"> Shortness of breathe

Trivia about sulfuric acid Cutting an onion arouses the gas (propanethiol S-oxide) contained within the onion. When this upwardly mobile gas encounters water in our eyes, sulfuric acid is produced. In response to the caustic acid, our eyes automatically blink, and produce tears which irrigate the eye, and flushes out the sulfuric acid.

The hydration reaction of sulfuric acid is highly exothermic. If [|water] is added to the concentrated sulfuric acid, it can boil and spit dangerously. One should always add the acid to the water rather than the water to the acid. The necessity for this safety precaution is due to the relative densities of these two liquids. Water is less dense than sulfuric acid, meaning water will tend to float on top of this acid. The reaction is best thought of as forming hydronium ions, by  H 2 SO 4 + H 2 O → H 3 O + + HSO 4 − , and then HSO 4 − + H 2 O → H 3 O + + SO 4 2−. Because the hydration of sulfuric acid is thermodynamically favorable, sulfuric acid is an excellent dehydrating agent, and is used to prepare many dried fruits. The affinity of sulfuric acid for [|water] is sufficiently strong that it will remove [|hydrogen] and [|oxygen] atoms from other compounds; for example, mixing starch (C 6 H 12 O 6 ) n and concentrated sulfuric acid will give elemental [|carbon] and water which is absorbed by the sulfuric acid (which becomes slightly diluted): (C 6 H 12 O 6 ) n → 6C + 6H 2 O. The effect of this can be seen when concentrated sulfuric acid is spilled on paper; the cellulose reacts to give a burned appearance, the [|carbon] appears much as soot would in a fire. A more dramatic reaction occurs when sulfuric acid is added to a tablespoon of white sugar; a rigid column of black, porous carbon will quickly emerge. The carbon will smell strongly of caramel.