Textbook Problem

A sulfuric acid plant produces an enormous amount of heat. To keep costs as low as possible, much of this heat is used to make steam to generate electricity. Some of the electricity is used to run the plant, and the excess is sold to the local electrical utility. Three reactions are important in sulfuric acid production: (1) burning S to SO₂; (2) oxidation of SO₂ to SO₃; and (3) reaction of SO₃ with H₂O:

${\text{SO}}_3(\text{g})+{\text{ H}}_{\text{2}}{\text{O (in 98\% H}}_{\text{2}}{\text{SO}}_{\text{4}}\text{) }\to {\text{ H}}_{\text{2}}{\text{SO}}_{\text{4}}\text{(}\mathcal{l}\text{)}$

The enthalpy change of the third reaction is −130 kJ/mol. Estimate the enthalpy change when 1.00 mol of S is used to produce 1.00 mol of H₂SO₄. How much energy is produced per metric ton (1.00 × 10³ kg) of H₂SO₄?