sulfuric acid
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Definition
- Noun:
- A highly corrosive, dense, oily liquid acid: Sulfuric acid is a strong mineral acid with the chemical formula H₂SO₄. It is colorless when pure, extremely corrosive, and reacts violently with water and many organic materials.
- A key industrial chemical: It is one of the most important industrial chemicals, used extensively in fertilizer production, petroleum refining, wastewater processing, and chemical synthesis.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- The laboratory handled sulfuric acid with extreme caution.
- Industrial production of fertilizers consumes large quantities of sulfuric acid.
- The spill involved a dangerous concentration of sulfuric acid.
Advanced Usage
- "Concentrated sulfuric acid": Refers to the acid in its pure or nearly pure form, typically around 98% H₂SO₄, which is a powerful dehydrating and oxidizing agent.
- Concentrated sulfuric acid will char paper and sugar.
- "Dilute sulfuric acid": Refers to the acid mixed with a larger proportion of water, which is less corrosive but still acidic.
- The experiment called for a solution of dilute sulfuric acid.
Variants and Related Words
- Sulphuric acid (noun): An alternative British English spelling for "sulfuric acid." The meaning is identical.
- Oil of vitriol (noun): An archaic historical name for sulfuric acid.
- Sulfate (noun): A salt or ester of sulfuric acid (e.g., copper sulfate).
- Sulfonation (noun): A chemical reaction introducing a sulfonic acid group, often using sulfuric acid or its derivatives.
Synonyms
- Hydrogen sulfate (noun): A systematic chemical name.
- Vitriolic acid (noun): An older, less common synonym derived from "oil of vitriol."
Related Phrases
- Battery acid: A common, non-technical term for the sulfuric acid solution used in lead-acid batteries (e.g., car batteries).
- Wear protective gear when dealing with battery acid.
- Chamber process / Contact process: Industrial methods for producing sulfuric acid.
- The contact process is the modern standard for manufacturing sulfuric acid.
Noun
- (H2SO4) a highly corrosive acid made from sulfur dioxide; widely used in the chemical industry