How is the presence of SO2 detected?
Solution 1
SO2 is a colourless and pungent smelling gas.
It can be detected with the help of potassium permanganate solution. When SO2 is passed through an acidified potassium permanganate solution, it decolonizes the solution as it reduces `MnO_4^(-)` ions to `Mn^(2+)` ions
`5SO_2 + 2MnO_4^(-) + 2H_2O -> 5SO_4^(2-) + 4H^(+) + 2Mn^(2+)`
Solution 2
SO2 is a pungent smelling gas. It can be detected by two test:
SO2 turn pink color of KMnO4 to colourless due to reduction of `MnO_4^(-)` to `Mn^(2+)`
`2MnO_4^(-) + 5SO_2+ 2H_2O -> 2Mn^(2+) + 5SO_4^(2-) + 4H^(+)`
(Pink) (colourless)
2) It turn orange colour of acidified `K_2Cr_2O_7` to green due to reduction of `Cr_2O_7^(2-)` to `Cr^(3+)`
`Cr_2O_7^(2-) + 3SO_2 + 2H^(+) -> 2Cr^(3+) + 3SO_4^(2-) + H_2O`
(orange) (green)