GCSE CHEMISTRY - The Effect of a Catalyst on the Reaction of Sulfur Dioxide with Oxygen to make Sulfur Trioxide for The Contact Process to make Sulfuric Acid

Manufacture of Sulfuric Acid - The Contact Process.

The Effect of using a Catalyst on the Formation of Sulfur Trioxide.

The catalyst for this reaction is Vanadium(V) oxide (V₂O₅).
Transition metals often make good catalysts.

The formation of sulfur trioxide is reversible.

sulfur dioxide + oxygen sulfur trioxide
2SO_2(g) + O_2(g) 2SO₃_(g)

We know from reaction rates that a catalyst
can increase the rate of a reaction.

With a reversible reaction, a catalyst will increase the rate
of both the forward and the backward reaction.
This is useful because the catalyst will cause the reaction mixture
to reach its equilibrium composition more quickly.
Note, the catalyst will not change the equilibrium composition
but it will increase the yield in a particular time.

In the contact process the reactants can be pushed through the
reaction vessel more quickly in the presence of a catalyst.
Without the catalyst the process would take longer
and be more expensive
(compare this with the formation of ammonia in the Haber process).

Links Sulfuric Acid Search Questions

gcsescience.com Contents The Periodic Table Index Quizzes gcsescience.com