Sulfuric Acid Growth
Sulfuric Acid Production
Because of its importance, sulfuric acid was considered an excellent
indicator of a country's industrial well-being. Below we see the amount
of sulfuric acid produced in the United States during the first seven decades of
this Century.
Note: 1 short ton = 2000 lb. (whereas a metric ton = 2205 lb. and a long ton
= 2240 lb.)
Notice how sulfuric acid production closely mirrors historical events
effecting the American economy. Sulfuric acid production dropped after the
American involvement in World War I (1917-1919) and open world trade
resumed. The stock market crash of 1929 further stagnated growth which was
restored at the outbreak of World War II (1938). As the U.S. entered the
war (1941) our economy was rapidly brought up to full production capacity. The
post war period (1940-1965) saw the greatest economic growth in America's
history, and this was reflected in ever increasing sulfuric acid production.
Massive inflation during the late sixties and the energy crisis
and economic recession of the early seventies also reveal themselves in the
sulfuric acid curve. Two other important chemicals, Caustic Soda (NaOH) and
Ammonia (NH3), help emphasis the scale of sulfuric acid production
while also displaying the same basic trends.
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