This compound can be made into a milder dehydration agent by increasing its concentration, producing a clear, viscous liquid that is mixed with kieselguhr (“KEE-zel-goor”) in the solid catalyst for the cumene process. The concentration of this compound is often expressed in terms of its anhydride, which is an adamantane-like decaoxide (“deca-oxide”) that deliquesces (“deli-KWESS-iz”) back to this compound. Incidentally radioactive gypsum is a major byproduct of the “wet process” of producing this compound, which dominates worldwide sulfuric acid consumption. A slurry of this acid and crushed fluorapatite (“flor-apatite”) are granulated into a triple “super” product whose NPK number can approach 0-52-0. One part of this acid is combined with one part hydrogen and two parts ammonia in two-component fertilizers. For 10 points, Coca-Cola’s ability to erode teeth comes from what triprotic (“try-pro-tick”) acid, whose conjugate base is phosphate? ■END■
ANSWER: phosphoric acid [or orthophosphoric acid; accept polyphosphoric acid, dihydrogen phosphate, or hydrogen phosphate; accept orthophosphoric after “acid” is read; reject “phosphorous acid” or “phosphonic acid”]
<Chemistry>
= Average correct buzz position