Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is typically converted into sulfuric acid (H2SO4) through a multistep process known as the Contact Process. The overall reaction can be represented by the following equation:
2SO2 + O2 + 2H2O → 2H2SO4
Here's a breakdown of the steps involved in converting sulfur dioxide to sulfuric acid:
Step 1: Oxidation of Sulfur Dioxide to Sulfur Trioxide SO2 is oxidized to sulfur trioxide (SO3) by reacting it with oxygen (O2) in the presence of a catalyst, typically vanadium(V) oxide (V2O5).
2SO2 + O2 ⇌ 2SO3
Step 2: Conversion of Sulfur Trioxide to Sulfuric Acid Sulfur trioxide (SO3) is then reacted with water (H2O) to form sulfuric acid (H2SO4). This step is highly exothermic, meaning it releases a significant amount of heat.
SO3 + H2O → H2SO4
The overall process can be summarized as follows:
2SO2 + O2 + 2H2O → 2H2SO4
It's important to note that the Contact Process is an industrial method for the production of sulfuric acid and involves various reaction conditions and catalysts to optimize the efficiency of the process.