Sulfuric acid

Sulfuric acid is a powerful and extremely corrosive substance. It reacts violently with water and most organic matter, causing the matter to break down. While diluted varieties of the acid are safe for common laboratory use, concentrated levels of sulfuric acid are very dangerous to handle. It can cause immediate burns to the skin and permanent blindness if it gets into the eyes. Additionally, concentrated sulfuric acid causes most metals to corrode on contact.

While pure sulfuric acid does not naturally occur on Earth, it is artificially produced in large quantities. The acid is commonly used in fertilizers, powerful detergents, cleaners, and a variety of other products. In most cases, the acid is heavily diluted, making it safe for everyday use.

Background

While scientists have made great advances in chemistry over the last several centuries, the study of chemical reactions is not exclusive to modern science. Many ancient philosophers and researchers studied the properties of various metals, biological materials, and natural compounds. They combined these materials, testing how they interacted with one another and recording the properties of the resulting compound. Using these processes, they created makeup, paints, spices, metallic alloys, explosives, and other useful products.

Ancient researchers first began to create corrosively acidic compounds in ancient Sumer. They called the substances used to create these compounds vitriols. Vitriols could be further classified by their color. In the eighth century, Persian alchemists continued the study of vitriols. Alchemists were the predecessors to modern chemists. They studied chemical reactions to discover ways to turn common metals into precious metals and to extend human life indefinitely. While these goals were beyond their reach, the studies they conducted were important to modern scientific research.

Medieval European alchemists were some of the first people to write about the properties of concentrated sulfuric acid. They called the substance oil of vitriol. It was made by preparing iron sulfate, a substance that alchemists called green vitriol, in a container called a retort. The alchemists noted sulfuric acid's dangerous, corrosive properties.

As the scientific community's understanding of chemistry grew, scientists found other methods of producing sulfuric acid. For example, in the 1600s, Dutch-German chemist Johann Glauber discovered that sulfuric acid could be created by burning sulfur with saltpeter. This method inspired the first large-scale production of sulfuric acid because it could be scaled up much more easily than the traditional method, allowing for massive batches of the acid to be created at once. As scientists began to sell large batches of sulfuric acid, manufacturers began to find more uses for it.

Overview

Acids are liquids that score below 7 on the pH scale. They taste sour and react strongly with metals. The strength of an acid varies based on the number of hydrogen ions it contains. The higher the concentration of hydrogen ions in the solution, the stronger the acid will be. Particularly strong acids are powerful enough to burn through metal or skin. They are extremely dangerous to handle.

Weaker acids are used for a variety of purposes. Some acids, such as citric acids and vinegar, are used to flavor food. Others, such as hydrochloric acid, are created by the body to break down food. Still more are used in the manufacturing process to break down specific chemicals.

Sulfuric acid is an extremely powerful acid composed of two hydrogen atoms, a sulfur atom, and four oxygen atoms. It reacts violently with water, breaking down quickly into various other substances and releasing significant amounts of energy. Pure sulfuric acid does not occur naturally on Earth, but weaker forms can occasionally be found in extreme locations, such as volcanoes.

While pure sulfuric acid is not native to Earth, it does occur naturally in the solar system. Much of the upper atmosphere of the planet Venus is composed of sulfuric acid. Intense heat from the Sun causes reactions among carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and water vapor to occur, creating clouds of sulfuric acid.

In a stable state, sulfuric acid appears as a clear or pale yellow oily, odorless liquid. When exposed to metal, sulfuric acid produces an immediately corrosive reaction. It also chars wood and most other organic matter but does not produce enough heat to cause fire.

Sulfuric acid is used for a variety of commercial and industrial purposes. It is an essential component in battery acid, and it is often found in car batteries. It is used in some fertilizers, toilet bowl cleaners, and powerful detergents.

The strength of sulfuric acid depends on its concentration. Diluted sulfuric has a variety of uses. At 10 percent concentration, sulfuric acid is used for laboratory experiments. At roughly 33 percent concentration, sulfuric acid is ideal for use in batteries. At roughly 62 percent concentration, sulfuric acid is useful in fertilizers. However, at 98 percent or higher concentrations, sulfuric acid is extremely dangerous.

Any concentration of sulfuric acid is unsafe for exposed flesh. Higher concentrations will cause more severe reactions at a faster pace. Contact between sulfuric acid and the skin causes burns and extreme pain. Exposure to the eyes causes burns and potentially permanent loss of vision. Ingesting sulfuric acid can cause severe, painful burns in the mouth and throat, speech problems, vomiting, breathing difficulty, swelling of the throat, loss of vision, and loss of consciousness from rapid loss of blood pressure.

Experts recommend treating skin exposed to sulfuric acid by immediately flushing the afflicted area with running water. If a person has ingested sulfuric acid, medical authorities should be contacted immediately.

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