Pratyush took sulphur powder on a spatula and heated it. He collected the gas evolved by inverting a test tube over it, as shown in figure below. (a) What will be the action of gas on (i) dry litmus paper? (ii) moist litmus paper? (b) Write a balanced chemical equation for the reaction taking place.

Solution: a) When sulphur powder is burnt in the air sulphur-di-oxide is formed.

(i) Sulphur-di-oxide does not have any effect on dry litmus paper.

(ii) Sulphur-di-oxide turn the moist litmus paper from blue to red as contact of SO₂ with water turns to sulfurous acid.

(b) S(s) + O₂(g) → SO₂(g)

SO₂(g) + H₂O →H₂SO₃