Is sulfuric acid a diprotic acid?

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Answer 1 · 2017-04-19T13:05:03

#"Sulfuric acid"# is a diprotic reagent.......

The conjugate base of sulfuric acid is bisulfate ion, #HSO_4^(-)#, which itself is a strongish Bronsted acid:

#H_2SO_4(l) + H_2O(l) rarr HSO_4^(-) + H_3O^+#

And #HSO_4^(-) + H_2O(l) rarr H_3O^+ + SO_4^(2-)#

Overall,

#H_2SO_4(aq) + 2H_2O rarr 2H_3O^+ + SO_4^(2-)#

You will have to look up the #K_a# for #HSO_4^(-)#, but we generally assume that sulfuric acid is diprotic in aqueous solution.