sulfurous acid

American  

noun

Chemistry.

1. a colorless liquid, H 2 SO 3 , having a suffocating odor, obtained by dissolving sulfur dioxide in water, known mainly by its salts, which are sulfites: used chiefly in organic synthesis and as a bleach.

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sulfurous acid Scientific  

1. A colorless solution of sulfur dioxide in water, characterized by a suffocating sulfurous odor. It is used as a bleaching agent, preservative, and disinfectant. Chemical formula: H ₂ SO ₃ .

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Etymology

Origin of sulfurous acid

First recorded in 1780–90

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sulfurous acid

Sulfur dioxide dissolves in water to form a solution of sulfurous acid, as expected for the oxide of a nonmetal.

From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019

Which is a stronger acid, sulfurous acid or sulfuric acid?

From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019

Like other diprotic acids, sulfurous acid ionizes in two steps: The hydrogen sulfite ion, and the sulfite ion, form.

From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019

An acidic oxide, sulfur dioxide combines with water vapor in the air to produce sulfurous acid in the following reaction:

From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019

When sulfur is burned, a gas is formed known as sulfurous acid, and until the last few years, it was the most common of all disinfecting agencies.

From Rural Hygiene by Ogden, Henry N. (Henry Neely)