Sulphuric Acid, H2SO4, corrosive, oily, colourless liquid, with a relative density
of 1.85. It melts at 10.36° C (50.6° F), boils at 340° C (644° F), and is soluble in all
proportions in water. When sulphuric acid is mixed with water, considerable
heat is released. Unless the mixture is well stirred, the added water may be
heated beyond its boiling point and the sudden formation of steam may blow the
acid out of its container (see Acids and Bases). The concentrated acid destroys
skin and flesh, and can cause blindness if it gets into the eyes. The best treatment
is to flush away the acid with large amounts of water. Despite the dangers
created by careless handling, sulphuric acid has been commercially important for
many years. The early alchemists prepared it in large quantities by heating
naturally occurring sulphates to a high temperature and dissolving in water the
sulphur trioxide thus formed. About the 15th century a method was developed
for obtaining the acid by distilling hydrated ferrous sulphate, or iron vitriol, with
sand. In 1740 the acid was produced successfully on a commercial scale by
burning sulphur and potassium nitrate in a ladle suspended in a large glass
globe partially filled with water.

Contact Process, method of manufacturing sulphuric acid. In the world as a
whole it is the most widely used method of making sulphuric acid, and in the
United Kingdom, about 90 per cent of this important industrial chemical is made

The process begins with sulphur dioxide, a poisonous gas, usually made by
oxidizing natural sulphur that has been extracted using the Frasch process. The
gas is purified, dust particles are removed from it, and then it is dried. The gas is

The pipes are held at a high temperature—between 400 and 500° C (750-930° F)—
which helps the catalyst to work at the highest efficiency. The reaction produces
sulphur trioxide gas and a great deal of heat, which is used to keep the pipes hot.
In the next step, the sulphur trioxide is dissolved in very strong (97 per cent)
sulphuric acid to make a material called oleum, or fuming sulphuric acid. This
highly noxious substance is then carefully diluted with water, to the strength
required.

It would be possible simply to dissolve sulphur trioxide in water to form
sulphuric acid. However, the gas is very to difficult to dissolve in water and
would form a highly corrosive mist, which would be dangerous to workers and
the environment.

1. Any combination or compound of metals fused together; a mixture of metals;
for example, brass, which is an alloy of copper and zinc. But when mercury is
one of the metals, the compound is called an amalgam.

3. A baser metal mixed with a finer.
Fine silver is silver without the mixture of any baser metal. Alloy is baser metal
mixed with it. --Locke.

>> Analloy is a homogeneous mixture of two or moreel ements, at least one of
which is ametal, and where the resulting material hasmetallic properties. The
resulting metallic substance usually has different properties (sometimes
substantially different) from those of its components.