Is the protonolysis reaction of sulfuric acid in aqueous solution an example of chemical change?

1 Answer
anor277
Jun 7, 2015

My word it is. Consider the reaction of sulfuric acid with water:

#2H_2SO_4 + 3H_2O rightarrow# #3H_3O^+# + #HSO_4^-# #+# #SO_4^(2-)#.

Bonds are broken, new substances are formed; ergo , this is chemical change.

Explanation:

The ionization of sulfuric acid is quite clearly a chemical change in that it involves the making and breaking of chemical bonds and the formation of new substances. Three new substances result upon ionization: (i) the hydronium ion; (ii) the bisulfate ion; and (iii) the sulfate dianion.

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