Step 1: Combustion of Sulfur
- Burn elemental sulfur in the presence of oxygen to produce sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas.
S(s) + O2(g) -> SO2(g)
Step 2: Oxidation of Sulfur Dioxide
- React the sulfur dioxide gas with oxygen and a catalyst (usually a platinum or vanadium oxide catalyst) to produce sulfur trioxide (SO3) gas.
2SO2(g) + O2(g) -> 2SO3(g)
Step 3: Hydration of Sulfur Trioxide
- Dissolve the sulfur trioxide gas in concentrated sulfuric acid to form oleum (H2S2O7), a highly concentrated form of sulfuric acid.
SO3(g) + H2SO4(l) -> H2S2O7(l)
Step 4: Dilution
- Dilute the oleum with water to obtain the desired concentration of sulfuric acid.
H2S2O7(l) + H2O(l) -> 2H2SO4(l)
This process is commonly used in the industrial production of sulfuric acid, which is one of the most important and widely used chemicals in various industries.