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0620 Chemistry Sulfur Cheat Sheet (DRAFT) by

sulfur cheet sheet igcse

This is a draft cheat sheet. It is a work in progress and is not finished yet.

Sources of sulfur

• In it’s elemental form underg­round in USA, Mexico and Poland
• Can be made from Sulfides ores
• Bi-product of from removal of sulfur from petroleum and natural gas

Uses of sulfur

• Making of sulphuric acid (important chemical used in many indust­ries)
• Used extens­ively in making rubber tyres more flexible- vulcan­ising (rubber tyre is heated with sulfur)

Sulfur dioxide

• Made by the direct combin­ation of sulfur with oxygen
→ This method is the first stage of manufa­cture of sulphuric acid
S + O₂ → SO₂

Uses of sulfur dioxide

• As a bleach in the manufa­cture of wood pulp for paper
• Preser­vative for foods and drinks by killing bacteria
• Sulfites are added to foods and these release sulfur dioxide in acidic conditions
 

Manufa­cture of sulphuric acid

• Synthe­sized by the contact process
→ Uses sulfur and oxygen from air
→ Is done in three distinct conditions
 
Stage 1) Oxidation of sulfur
S + O₂ → SO₂
Stage 2) Oxidation of SO₂ to sulfur trioxide
Catalyst used: V₂O₅
2SO₂ + O₂ ⇌ 2SO₃
Conditions during stage 2
Temper­ature 450°C
→ Reaction is exo so increasing temper­ature shits equili­brium position to the left therefore, higher the temper­ature, lower the yield.
Pressure 2 atm
→ Increase in pressure shifts equili­brium position to the right (direction of a smaller number of gaseous moles)
Stage 3) Sulfur trioxide is absorbed into solution of sulfuric acid to produce oleum
SO₃ + H₂SO₄ → H₂S₂O₇
→ Trioxide isn't absorbed into water because a fine mist of sulfuric acid will be produced and this would be difficult to produce and thus, highly dangerous
→ Oleum is added to water to form concen­trated sulfuric acid
H₂S₂O₇ + H₂O → 2H₂SO₄

Properties of sulfuric acid

•It is a strong dibasic acid (two of its hydrogen atoms can be replaced by a metal)
•Reacts in a similar way to other acids with metal carbon­ates, oxides, hydroxides and metals (and ammonia)
•Conce­ntrated sulfuric acid is corrosive and a powerful oxidizing agent
•A very powerful dehydr­ating agent (very good at removing water from other substances

Uses of sulfuric acid

DIlute
•Used as a catalyst in many organic reactions
•To clean the surface of metals
Concen­trated
•Used in car batteries, making phosphate fertil­izers, soaps and detergents
•Used to make acid drain cleaners
•Used in production of paints and dyes

Sugar and sulfuric acid

When mixed with sugar, (C₆H₁₂O₆), concen­­trated H₂SO₄ will remove water molecules and leave behind carbon, producing a tower of pure carbon