Answer to Question #286671 in General Chemistry for kkk

Question

In the manufacture of sulfuric acid, sulfur dioxide is converted to sulfur trioxide using a catalyst of vanadium(V) oxide: 

 

2SO₂(g) + O₂(g)  2SO₃(g) 

 

The electronic configuration of vanadium is [Ar] 3d³ 4s², so the mechanism for this reaction is most likely to involve a sequence in which vanadium(V) is converted to 

Answer 1

Vanadium (V) is converted to Vanadium (IV) after being reduced by SO$_2$ and re-oxidised by Oxygen back to Vanadium (V).