Sulfuric Acid | Structure, Formula, Uses, & Facts - Britannica

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Molecular and structural characteristics

Molecular structure of sulfuric acid
Molecular structure of sulfuric acidDiagram of a sulfuric acid (H2SO4) molecule, showing a central sulfur atom with four oxygen atoms: two joined by double bonds and two each forming a hydroxyl group (―OH).(more)

Sulfuric acid is built around a central sulfur atom bonded to four oxygen atoms in a tetrahedral arrangement (a shape with four corners like a pyramid with a triangular base). Two of these oxygen atoms are linked by double bonds, while the other two atoms are joined through hydroxyl groups (―OH), giving the formula H2SO4.

The sulfur atom is in the +6 oxidation state, meaning it has effectively given up six electrons to the surrounding oxygen atoms. This high oxidation state, combined with the sharing of electrons among the oxygen atoms in a pattern known as resonance, lends the molecule both stability and a strong acidic character.

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When sulfuric acid dissociates in water, it releases hydrogen ions in two steps. The first ion is given up completely, forming the hydrogen sulfate ion (HSO4−). The second ion is only partly released, producing sulfate ions (SO42−). Because it can donate two hydrogen ions per molecule in sequence, sulfuric acid is known as a diprotic acid.

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