The difference between hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid

When you hear the word sulfuric acid, you may think of sulfuric acid as being corrosive, which can damage the skin or even disfigure it if it comes into contact with the skin. Therefore, sulfuric acid should be properly stored and kept out of the reach of children. There are certain differences between hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid. Hydrochloric acid can be used in the food industry and metal processing industry. Sulfuric acid has applications in agriculture and explosives. Let’s talk about the difference between the two.

Hydrochloric acid is an aqueous solution of HCl of varying concentrations. It is transparent, colorless or yellow, has a pungent odor and is highly corrosive. Easily soluble in water, ethanol, ether and oil, hydrochloric acid is extremely volatile.

Sulfuric acid is one of the most active binary inorganic strong acids and can react with many metals. High concentration of sulfuric acid has strong water absorption and can be used as a dehydrating agent. It is highly corrosive and oxidizing and is not easy to volatilize.

Concentrated hydrochloric acid is volatile and is a volatile acid, while concentrated sulfuric acid is a non-volatile acid. Open the cap of the concentrated hydrochloric acid reagent bottle, the solute in the concentrated hydrochloric acid: hydrogen chloride gas (HCl) will evaporate from its aqueous solution. When it meets moisture in the air, it will dissolve into it again and reform into many small liquid droplets of hydrochloric acid suspended in the air. To the naked eye, it appears as a white acid mist at the mouth of the bottle. Therefore, if white mist appears at the bottle mouth when you open the bottle cap, it is concentrated hydrochloric acid; if no white mist appears at the bottle mouth, it is concentrated sulfuric acid.

Although concentrated hydrochloric acid and concentrated sulfuric acid both appear to be colorless liquids, their densities are different. The mass of an equal volume of concentrated sulfuric acid is much greater than that of concentrated hydrochloric acid. This results in concentrated sulfuric acid having the properties of an oily, viscous liquid. As long as you pick up the reagent bottle and shake it, the concentrated sulfuric acid will "hang on the wall", that is, it will stick to the wall of the reagent bottle and will not come off easily, and its viscosity can be easily seen. Therefore, if you shake the reagent bottle, if there is "sticking to the wall" phenomenon, it is concentrated sulfuric acid, and if there is no "sticking to the wall" phenomenon, it is concentrated hydrochloric acid.

Uses of Hydrochloric Acid

(1) Hydrometallurgy for rare metals

(2) Used in organic synthesis

(3) Used in bleaching and dyeing industry

(4) Used for metal processing

(5) Used in food industry

(6) Used in the production of inorganic and organic drugs

Sulfuric acid use

(1) Ammonium sulfate for fertilizer production

(2) Used in the production of chemical fibers, which are familiar to the public: viscose

(3) Used in metallurgical industry and metal processing in the metallurgical industry sector

(4) Used in explosives