Question

Answer the following.

Give two reactions showing the oxidising property of concentrated H₂SO₄.

Answer 1

Metals and nonmetals both are oxidised by hot, concentrated sulfuric acid which itself gets reduced to SO₂.

1) \[\ce{\underset{\text{Copper}}{Cu} + \underset{\text{Sulfuric acid (Conc.)}}{2H2SO4} -> \underset{\text{Copper sulfate}}{CuSO4} + \underset{\text{Sulfur dioxide}}{SO2} + 2H2O}\]

2) \[\ce{\underset{\text{Sulfur}}{S} + \underset{\text{Sulfuric acid (Conc.)}}{2H2SO4} -> \underset{\text{Sulfur dioxide}}{3SO2} + 2H2O}\]