15 Facts on H2SO4 + H2O: What, How To Balance & FAQs

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Sulphuric acid (H2SO4) is a highly viscous acid and absorbs moisture from air whereas water (H2O) is known as a universal solvent. Let us discuss the reactions of  H2SO4 + H2O.

H2SO4 is an acid which is also known as oil of vitriol, immiscible with water and can be used in the laboratory for analysis of various chemical species, on the other hand, H2O is an inorganic polar liquid compound that is tasteless and colorless, and the gaseous state of water is water vapor and solid state is ice.

In the following parts of this article, we will discuss the product of the reaction H2SO4 + H2O. with their net ionic products, reaction enthalpy, conjugate pairs, and type of reaction.

What is the product of H2SO4 and H2O

H3O (hydronium ion) and HSO4- are the products of the reaction H2SO4 + H2O.

H2SO4 + H2O = H3O + HSO4-

What type of reaction is H2SO4 + H2O

The reaction of  H2SO4 + H2O is a neutralization reaction, as one reactant is acid (H2SO4 ) while the other is a base ( H2O) and combines to form a neutral product like hydronium ion (H3O) which is a neutral product.

How to balance H2SO4 + H2O

The equation is balanced by following these steps-

H2SO4 + H2O = H3O + HSO4-

  • Name the reactants and products with alphabets A, B, C, and D.
  • A H2SO4 +B H2O = C H3O +D HSO4-
  • Modify the atoms with suitable numbers.
  • H –> A, B, C, D; S –> A, D; O –> A, B, C, D.
  • Multiply the coefficients with suitable numbers.
  • A = 1, B = 1, C = 1, D = 1
  • To write the final equation reduce the lowest integer value
  • Thus, the balanced equation is
  • H2SO4 + H2O = H3O + HSO4-

H2SO4 + H2O titration

H2SO4 cannot be titrated with H2O because it is an acid-base reaction that forms a neutral product H3O due to which it is not possible to calculate the unknown concentration and endpoint of the reactant.

H2SO4 + H2O net ionic equation

The net ionic equation for H2SO4 + H2O is –

H++ HSO4- + H+ + OH– = H3O+ HSO4-

To drive the net ionic equation following steps are used

  • Write the full reaction with respective states.
  • H2SO4 (l) + H2O (l) = H3O (l) + HSO4- (l)7
  • Splits, the atoms into ions.
  • Thus, the net ionic equation is
  • H+ + HSO4- + H+ + OH– = H3O+ HSO4-

H2SO4 + H2O conjugate pairs

  • HSO4- is the conjugate base for acid H2SO4 after protonation.
  • H3O is the conjugate acid for base H2O after deprotonation.
conjugate
Conjugate pairs

H2SO4 + H2O intermolecular forces

  • The covalent bond and strong electrostatic force of attraction are the intermolecular forces present in H2SO4.
  • Dipole-dipole and the London dispersion forces with hydrogen bond are present in H2O.

H2SO4 + H2O reaction enthalpy

H2SO4 + H2O reaction enthalpy is zero because it is an acid-base reaction that neutralizes each other by the exchanging of ions of the atoms after the dissociation in water and, no external or internal energies are evolved during the process.

Is H2SO4 + H2O a buffer solution

H2SO4 + H2O is not a buffer solution as the reaction is an acid-base reaction in which atoms neutralize each other by the exchanging of ions and the solution becomes neutral which will not allow the pH to increase more than 7.

Is H2SO4 + H2O a complete reaction

H2SO4 + H2O is a complete reaction as the neutralization of atoms takes place, at the end of the reaction the formation of hydronium ions also takes place which indicates that the reaction is complete and cannot react further.

Is H2SO4 + H2O an exothermic or endothermic reaction

H2SO4 + H2O is an exothermic reaction as the bond dissociation of H2SO4 and H2O takes place they release a large amount of heat in an aqueous medium which allows the solution to heat up and the evolution of heat takes place.

Is H2SO4 + H2O a redox reaction

H2SO4 + H2O is not a redox reaction as the oxidation states of the reactants and products are the same throughout the reaction.

Is H2SO4 + H2O a precipitation reaction

 H2SO4 + H2O is not a precipitation reaction as the reactant and the products both are in liquid states and they neutralize the ions of each other in an aqueous medium only without any precipitation.

Is H2SO4 + H2O reversible or irreversible reaction

H2SO4 + H2O is an irreversible reaction because it is an acid-base reaction in which after the neutralization of the ions, it is not possible again to break the bonds between them to make them separate or to be reactants again.

Is H2SO4 + H2O displacement reaction

 H2SO4 + H2O is not a  displacement reaction because there is only exchanging of ions without displacing any atom, ion, or molecule throughout the reaction.

Conclusion

H2SO4 is an aid used for refining sugar and oil and can be used in chemical analysis too whereas, H2O is working as a universal solvent that is inorganic, colorless, odorless, and tasteless and 70% of potable water is used in agriculture.