| a clear, colorless to brownish, dense, oily, corrosive, water-miscible liquid, H2SO4, usually produced from sulfur dioxide: used chiefly in the manufacture of fertilizers, chemicals, explosives, and dyestuffs and in petroleum refining. |
| oil of vitriol n. See sulfuric acid. |
| sulfuric acid n. A highly corrosive, dense, oily liquid, H2SO4, colorless to dark brown depending on its purity and used to manufacture a wide variety of chemicals and materials including fertilizers, paints, detergents, and explosives. Also called oil of vitriol, vitriol. |
sulfuric acid sul·fu·ric acid (sŭl-fy&oobreve;r'ĭk)
n.
A colorless, nearly odorless, corrosive liquid that is used occasionally as a caustic. Also called vitriol.
| sulfuric acid
A strong corrosive acid. It combines very easily with water, making it a good drying agent. Sulfuric acid is the most widely used acid in industry. It is used to make detergents, dyes, drugs, explosives, pigments, fertilizers, and many other products. It is also the acid in lead-acid electric batteries. Chemical formula: H2SO4. |