Question

Soda ash is industrially manufactured by the:

• A. Contact process
• B. Haber process
• C. Solvay process
• D. Ostwald process

Hint:

Logic Tip: Memorize the "Big Four" chemical processes: Haber = Ammonia, Contact = Sulfuric Acid, Ostwald = Nitric Acid, and Solvay = Soda Ash.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Concept:
In industrial chemistry, specific named chemical processes are standardized for the mass production of essential commodity chemicals. Matching the product to its historical manufacturing process is a fundamental chemical engineering concept.

Step 1:
The question asks for the manufacturing process of "Soda ash", which is the common name for sodium carbonate ($Na_2CO_3$).

Step 2:
The Contact process is universally known for the industrial production of Sulfuric Acid ($H_2SO_4$), not soda ash.

Step 3:
The Haber (or Haber-Bosch) process is used to synthesize Ammonia ($NH_3$) from nitrogen and hydrogen gases.

Step 4:
The Ostwald process is the standard chemical process for manufacturing Nitric Acid ($HNO_3$) by oxidizing ammonia.

Step 5:
The Solvay process uses brine (sodium chloride), limestone (calcium carbonate), and ammonia to successfully produce Soda Ash (sodium carbonate), making it the correct answer.