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Topic: Reactions involving concentrated acids.  (Read 1442 times)

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Offline Shabbar

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Reactions involving concentrated acids.
« on: August 01, 2018, 05:14:58 PM »
I know that Sulphur does not react with dilute acids but it does react with concentrated acids. For e.g.

S + 6HNO3 --> H2SO4 + 2H2O + 6NO2
S + 2H2SO4 --> 3SO2 + 2H2O

Now, my question is how to easily remember these reactions involving concentrated acids? Is there like a pattern or clue?

Offline Borek

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Re: Reactions involving concentrated acids.
« Reply #1 on: August 02, 2018, 02:35:56 AM »
There is kind of logic here. Sulfur can be oxidized either to S(IV) (SO2 and/or sulfurous acid)  or S(VI) (SO3 and/or sulfuric acid). When reacting with the nitric acid (and probably perchloric acid) it can be oxidized all the way to S(VI). When reacting with the sulfuric acid even if it were oxidized to S(VI) sulfur from the sulfuric acid would be reduced at the same time, so the overall reaction can't produce anything above S(IV).
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