Why H2SO4 is called Oil of Vitrol?

1 Answer
anor277
Oct 2, 2017

Well, historically, #"green vitriol"# was #FeSO_4#, #"iron(II) sulfate"#,

Explanation:

And #"sulfuric acid"# was prepared from #"iron(II) sulfate"# by both Arab and European alchemists....hence #"oil of vitriol"#.

Clearly the name was coined BEFORE the chemists had discovered its elemental makeup.

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