Does Producing Sulfuric Acid from Copper Sulfate Pentahydrate Release Oxygen?

[LURCH]

I was recently reading about the method by which sulfuric acid was produced in the old days. Apparently, copper sulfate pentahydrate (green vitriol), when heated up, breaks down into copper dioxide, water, and sulfur trioxide. The sulfur trioxide and water then bond to form sulfuric acid. Now, I'm really weak on chemistry, but by looking at the chemical signatures of these substances it appears that an oxygen molecule is missing. Does this method give off oxygen as a byproduct?

Also, can the process be reversed? Can copper dioxide and sulfuric acid be combined to form green vitriol?

 

[quetzalcoatl9]

what is missing?

$$SO_3(g) + H_2O(l) \longrightarrow H_2SO_4(l)$$

where are we missing oxygen?

 

[ravenprp]

Yes, the production of sulfuric acid through the decomposition of copper sulfate pentahydrate does result in the release of oxygen as a byproduct. This is because the sulfur trioxide and water combine to form sulfuric acid, leaving behind the oxygen molecule. This is a common occurrence in chemical reactions, where elements or molecules are rearranged and new compounds are formed.

As for whether the process can be reversed, it is possible, but not through the direct combination of copper dioxide and sulfuric acid. The production of green vitriol, or copper sulfate pentahydrate, requires the presence of water and sulfur trioxide, which is not present in pure sulfuric acid. However, copper sulfate pentahydrate can be produced by reacting copper oxide with sulfuric acid in the presence of water. So while the process can be reversed, it requires different substances and conditions than the original production method.