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Revision as of 12:34, 21 May 2005 by 62.255.32.14 (talk) (Bulked out information.)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Oleum is also known as fuming sulfuric acid or Nordhausen acid. It has the chemical formula H2S2O7, is anhydrous,and can be formed by dissolving excess SO3 (sulfur trioxide) into sulfuric acid. See sulfuric acid for more information.
Oleum is an important chemical used in the manufacture of sulfuric acid. If SO3 is added directly to water, it tends to polymerize rather than form sulfuric acid. If SO3 is added to sulfuric acid instead, it forms oleum which can then be mixed with water to form more sulfuric acid.
It is often known as fuming sulphuric acid thanks to its powerful dehydrating tendencies- the "fuming" is actually water vapour being drawn out of the air. If poured onto powdered glucose, a common school demonstration, it will draw the hydrogen and oxygen out of the glucose in an exothermic reaction, leaving only carbon. This expands out of the container, hardening as a solid black substance with gas bubbles in it . Oleum is highly corrosive.
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