Sulfuric Acid

Sulfuric acid (H2SO4) is a colorless, oily, extremely corrosive, and heavy liquid at room temperature.

It is the number one product of the global chemical industry by volume; so much so that a nation's industrialization level can be measured by its sulfuric acid consumption.

It releases an enormous amount of heat when dissolved in water (exothermic reaction), therefore acid must always be slowly added to water, never water to acid.

•It is a strong dehydrating agent; when in contact with carbohydrate-based materials like sugar, paper, and cotton, it instantly absorbs their water, causing them to carbonize.

•Used to neutralize highly basic (high pH) water in industrial wastewater treatment plants.

✓The main chemical used to dissolve inorganic rocks in the production of phosphate fertilizers (especially superphosphate).

✓Used as the electrolyte (battery acid) in automobile lead-acid batteries at ~33% concentration.

✓Heavily consumed in the steel industry for cleaning oxides and rust from metal surfaces (pickling).