--- title: "Sulfuric acid Structure (H2O4S): 3D Model, Formula & Molar Mass | MolDraw" url: https://www.moldraw.com/molecules/sulfuric-acid.html description: "Structure of Sulfuric acid (H2O4S, 98.08 g/mol): rotatable 3D model, 2D skeletal formula, IUPAC name, SMILES, shape, polarity, uses and FAQ." lang: en publisher: Scidart Academy generated: 2026-10-26 --- [MolDraw](https://www.moldraw.com/) › [3D molecule models](https://www.moldraw.com/molecules/) › Sulfuric acid structure # Sulfuric acid structure and 3D model (H2O4S) Sulfuric acid is a sulfur atom bonded to four oxygens: two as S=O and two as S–OH. The oxygens sit at the corners of a slightly distorted tetrahedron. **Quick answer:** Sulfuric acid is **H2O4S**, molar mass **98.08 g/mol**. Tetrahedral around sulfur; very polar, oily and miscible with water with strong heat release. Atom labels Hydrogens Spin Drag to rotate · pinch or scroll to zoom. 3D coordinates: computed with RDKit (ETKDG conformer, force-field optimised). ## Sulfuric acid at a glance | Formula | H2O4S | | --- | --- | | Molar mass | 98.08 g/mol | | IUPAC name | sulfuric acid | | Atoms / bonds | 7 / 6 | | H-bond donors / acceptors | 2 / 2 | | logP (estimated) | -0.7 | | SMILES | `OS(=O)(=O)O` | | InChIKey | `QAOWNCQODCNURD-UHFFFAOYSA-N` | | PubChem | [1118](https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/1118) | ![2D structural formula of Sulfuric acid (H2O4S)](https://www.moldraw.com/molecules/img/sulfuric-acid.svg) 2D structure (skeletal formula) · [Draw it in MolDraw](https://www.moldraw.com/) ## What the 3D model of Sulfuric acid shows The model contains **7 atoms** (5 heavy atoms and 2 hydrogens) joined by **6 bonds**; in ball-and-stick mode every stick is one bond, and double or aromatic bonds are drawn as multiple sticks. Switch to *space-filling* to see the molecule as its electron cloud, scaled to van der Waals radii: this is the shape other molecules actually "feel". It can donate 2 and accept 2 hydrogen bonds, and its estimated logP of -0.7 means it is very water-loving (hydrophilic). Its topological polar surface area is 75 Ų. ## Shape and bond angles | Atom(s) | Geometry / hybridisation | Angles & lengths | | --- | --- | --- | | sulfur | Tetrahedral (four electron domains) | ≈ 109.5°, distorted (O=S=O larger) | | S=O bonds | Short bonds | ≈ 1.42 Å | | S–OH bonds | Longer bonds | ≈ 1.57 Å | ### Is Sulfuric acid polar? Yes, very. Its O–H and S=O bonds are highly polar, and it forms strong hydrogen bonds, which is why it is a thick, high-boiling liquid. ## Elemental composition of H2O4S | Element | Atoms | Mass (g/mol) | Mass % | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Hydrogen (H) | 2 | 2.016 | 2.06% | | Oxygen (O) | 4 | 63.996 | 65.25% | | Sulfur (S) | 1 | 32.067 | 32.70% | Calculated from IUPAC standard atomic weights. Check any formula with the [molar mass calculator](https://www.moldraw.com/tools/free-chem-tools/molar-mass-calculator.html). ## Uses of sulfuric acid - Making fertilisers (phosphates and ammonium sulfate) - Electrolyte in lead-acid car batteries - Drying agent and catalyst in chemical industry ## Interesting facts - Sulfuric acid is one of the most produced chemicals in the world. - It is made by the contact process: burning sulfur, oxidising SO₂ to SO₃, then absorbing it. - Concentrated sulfuric acid removes water from sugar, leaving a column of black carbon. **Drawing structures for your notes?** MolDraw is a free online chemical structure editor for molecules, reactions and lab diagrams. [Open MolDraw editor](https://www.moldraw.com/) ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the structure of Sulfuric acid? Sulfuric acid is a sulfur atom bonded to four oxygens: two as S=O and two as S–OH. The oxygens sit at the corners of a slightly distorted tetrahedron. Its SMILES is OS(=O)(=O)O. ### Why should you add acid to water and not water to acid? Mixing releases a lot of heat. Adding acid slowly to water lets the water absorb the heat; adding water to acid can boil it and spatter acid. ### What shape is sulfuric acid? Tetrahedral around sulfur, with two S=O and two S–OH groups. ### What is the chemical formula and molar mass of Sulfuric acid? Sulfuric acid is H2O4S with a molar mass of 98.08 g/mol. It contains 7 atoms: 2 hydrogen, 4 oxygen, 1 sulfur. ### What is the IUPAC name of Sulfuric acid? The IUPAC name is sulfuric acid. ### How do I draw Sulfuric acid? Open the MolDraw editor, paste the SMILES OS(=O)(=O)O or type "Sulfuric acid" in name search, and the structure is drawn for you. 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