A sample of oleum is labeled as 104.5%. What does it means?
Meaning of 104.5% Oleum
Oleum is essentially fuming sulphuric acid, a solution of SO? in H?SO?. When we say 104.5% oleum, it means:
The sample contains 4.5% free SO? in addition to 100% H?SO?.
In other words, it is equivalent to 104.5 g of H?SO? per 100 g of oleum, if all the SO? present is converted into H?SO? by adding water.
SO3 + H2O → H2SO4
So, 104.5% oleum indicates that the oleum has 4.5% SO3 dissolved in it, which on hydration will increase the effective concentration of H2SO4.