This is the Contact process by adding an excess of oxygen to sulphur dioxide in the presence of the catalyst vanadium pentoxide, under temperatures of 450 °C and pressure of 1-2 atm.To increase the reaction rate, high temperatures (450 °C), medium pressures (1-2 atm), and vanadium(V) oxide (V2O5) are used to ensure a 96% conversion. The catalyst only serves to increase the rate of reaction as it does not change the position of the thermodynamic equilibrium.