#Chemistry#Acids#Inorganic Chemistry#Chemical Formulas
What is the chemical formula for thiosulfuric acid?
TL;DR Summary: The chemical formula for thiosulfuric acid is H₂S₂O₃. It is an unstable oxoacid of sulfur.
What is the chemical formula for thiosulfuric acid?
Thiosulfuric acid has the chemical formula H₂S₂O₃.
Structure and Properties
Thiosulfuric acid can be viewed structurally as sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) in which one of the terminal oxygen atoms is replaced by a sulfur atom. This gives it a central sulfur atom bonded to another sulfur atom (a sulfane sulfur) and two hydroxyl (-OH) groups, along with one double-bonded oxygen.
Stability and Formation
Thiosulfuric acid is extremely unstable in a free state at room temperature. It readily decomposes into sulfur, sulfur dioxide, and water. Because of its instability, it is typically handled in the form of its salts, known as thiosulfates (such as sodium thiosulfate, Na₂S₂O₃), which are widely used in photography, analytical chemistry, and industrial bleaching processes.