3.3.3
Chlorine & Chlorate(I)
Reactions of Chlorine
Reactions of Chlorine
Chlorine reacts with water in different ways depending on the conditions. The different products have some practical uses.
With water
With water
- The equation for this reaction is:
- Cl2(g) + H2O(l) ⇌ HCl(aq) + HClO(aq) ⇌ 2H+(aq) + ClO−(aq) + Cl−(aq)
- This reaction is used in water treatment to kill bacteria.
With water and in sunlight
With water and in sunlight
- The same reaction happens with water. But in sunlight, a further reaction can happen.
- In sunlight, the chlorate(I) ion produced will decompose to produce hydrochloric acid and oxygen. The equation for this reaction is:
- 2HClO(aq) ⇌ 2HCl(aq) + O2(g)
- So the overall equation can be written as:
- 2Cl2(g) + 2H2O(l) ⇌ 4HCl(aq) + O2(g)
Practical Uses of Chlorine
Practical Uses of Chlorine
The reactions of water and chlorine have some practical uses.
Water treatment
Water treatment
- Chlorine is added to the water supply to try to make it safe to drink.
- But the treatment has risks:
- Chlorine gas is toxic.
- Liquid chlorine on the skin or eyes causes burns.
- Water contains trace organic compounds. Chlorine will chlorinate hydrocarbons and many of these chlorinated hydrocarbons are carcinogenic.
Benefits of water treatment
Benefits of water treatment
- Water treatment kills harmful bacteria.
- The increased cancer risk is small, but a cholera epidemic would kill thousands.
- Some people complain about this forced mass medication, but this prevents thousands of deaths every year and on balance is good for society.
Making bleach
Making bleach
- When Cl2 is added to sodium hydroxide, you get sodium chlorate(I) and sodium chloride.
- This is an example of a disproportionation reaction.
- This means chlorine is both oxidised and reduced at the same time.
- Cl2 has oxidation state 0, Cl- has oxidation state -1 and chlorate(I) has oxidation state +1.
1Physical Chemistry
1.1Atomic Structure
1.1.1Fundamental Particles
1.1.2Isotopes & Mass Number
1.1.3Mass Spectrometry
1.1.4Electron Shells, Sub-Shells & Orbitals
1.1.5Electron Configuration
1.1.6Ionisation Energy
1.1.7Factors Affecting Ionisation Energies
1.1.8Trends of Ionisation
1.1.9Specific Impacts on Ionisation Energies
1.1.10End of Topic Test - Atomic Structure
1.1.11A-A* (AO3/4) - Atomic Structure
1.2Amount of Substance
1.3Bonding
1.3.1Ionic Bonding
1.3.2Covalent & Dative Bonding
1.3.3Carbon Structures
1.3.4Metallic Bonding
1.3.5Physical Properties
1.3.6Shapes of Molecules
1.3.7Polarity
1.3.8Intermolecular Forces
1.3.9Intermolecular Forces 2
1.3.10End of Topic Test - Bonding
1.3.11Exam-Style Question - Shape of Molecules
1.3.12A-A* (AO3/4) - Bonding
1.4Energetics
1.5Kinetics
1.6Equilibria
2Physical Chemistry 2 (A2 Only)
2.1Thermodynamics (A2 Only)
2.2Rate Equations (A2 Only)
2.3The Equilibrium Constant Kp (A2 Only)
2.4Electrochemical Cells (A2 Only)
2.5Acids & Bases (A2 Only)
2.5.1Brønsted-Lowry Acids & Bases (A2 Only)
2.5.2pH (A2 Only)
2.5.3The Ionic Product of Water (A2 Only)
2.5.4Weak Acids & Bases (A2 Only)
2.5.5pH Curves & Titrations (A2 Only)
2.5.6pH Curves & Titrations 2 (A2 Only)
2.5.7Buffer Solutions (A2 Only)
2.5.8End of Topic Test - Acids & Bases
2.5.9Exam-Style Question - Weak Acids
2.5.10A-A* (AO3/4) - Acids & Bases
3Inorganic Chemistry
3.1Periodicity & Trends
4Inorganic Chemistry 2 (A2 Only)
4.1Period 3 (A2 Only)
4.2Transition Metals (A2 Only)
4.2.1General Properties (A2 Only)
4.2.2Substitution Reactions (A2 Only)
4.2.3Shapes of Complex Ions (A2 Only)
4.2.4Colours of Ions (A2 Only)
4.2.5Variable Oxidation States (A2 Only)
4.2.6Titrations (A2 Only)
4.2.7Homogeneous Catalysts (A2 Only)
4.2.8Heterogeneous Catalysts (A2 Only)
4.2.9End of Topic Test - Transition Metals
4.2.10A-A* (AO3/4) - Transition Metals
4.3Reactions of Ions in Aqueous Solutions (A2 Only)
5Organic Chemistry 1
5.1Introduction
5.2Alkanes
5.3Halogenoalkanes
5.4Alkenes
5.5Alcohols
5.6Organic Analysis
5.7A-A* (AO3/4) - Organic 1
6Organic Chemistry 2 (A2 Only)
6.1Optical Isomerism (A2 Only)
6.2Aldehydes & Ketones (A2 Only)
6.3Carboxylic Acids & Esters (A2 Only)
6.4Aromatic Chemistry (A2 Only)
6.5Amines (A2 Only)
6.6Polymers (A2 Only)
6.7Biological Organic (A2 Only)
6.8Organic Synthesis (A2 Only)
6.9NMR Spectroscopy (A2 Only)
6.10Chromatography (A2 Only)
6.11A-A* (AO3/4) - Organic 2
Jump to other topics
1Physical Chemistry
1.1Atomic Structure
1.1.1Fundamental Particles
1.1.2Isotopes & Mass Number
1.1.3Mass Spectrometry
1.1.4Electron Shells, Sub-Shells & Orbitals
1.1.5Electron Configuration
1.1.6Ionisation Energy
1.1.7Factors Affecting Ionisation Energies
1.1.8Trends of Ionisation
1.1.9Specific Impacts on Ionisation Energies
1.1.10End of Topic Test - Atomic Structure
1.1.11A-A* (AO3/4) - Atomic Structure
1.2Amount of Substance
1.3Bonding
1.3.1Ionic Bonding
1.3.2Covalent & Dative Bonding
1.3.3Carbon Structures
1.3.4Metallic Bonding
1.3.5Physical Properties
1.3.6Shapes of Molecules
1.3.7Polarity
1.3.8Intermolecular Forces
1.3.9Intermolecular Forces 2
1.3.10End of Topic Test - Bonding
1.3.11Exam-Style Question - Shape of Molecules
1.3.12A-A* (AO3/4) - Bonding
1.4Energetics
1.5Kinetics
1.6Equilibria
2Physical Chemistry 2 (A2 Only)
2.1Thermodynamics (A2 Only)
2.2Rate Equations (A2 Only)
2.3The Equilibrium Constant Kp (A2 Only)
2.4Electrochemical Cells (A2 Only)
2.5Acids & Bases (A2 Only)
2.5.1Brønsted-Lowry Acids & Bases (A2 Only)
2.5.2pH (A2 Only)
2.5.3The Ionic Product of Water (A2 Only)
2.5.4Weak Acids & Bases (A2 Only)
2.5.5pH Curves & Titrations (A2 Only)
2.5.6pH Curves & Titrations 2 (A2 Only)
2.5.7Buffer Solutions (A2 Only)
2.5.8End of Topic Test - Acids & Bases
2.5.9Exam-Style Question - Weak Acids
2.5.10A-A* (AO3/4) - Acids & Bases
3Inorganic Chemistry
3.1Periodicity & Trends
4Inorganic Chemistry 2 (A2 Only)
4.1Period 3 (A2 Only)
4.2Transition Metals (A2 Only)
4.2.1General Properties (A2 Only)
4.2.2Substitution Reactions (A2 Only)
4.2.3Shapes of Complex Ions (A2 Only)
4.2.4Colours of Ions (A2 Only)
4.2.5Variable Oxidation States (A2 Only)
4.2.6Titrations (A2 Only)
4.2.7Homogeneous Catalysts (A2 Only)
4.2.8Heterogeneous Catalysts (A2 Only)
4.2.9End of Topic Test - Transition Metals
4.2.10A-A* (AO3/4) - Transition Metals
4.3Reactions of Ions in Aqueous Solutions (A2 Only)
5Organic Chemistry 1
5.1Introduction
5.2Alkanes
5.3Halogenoalkanes
5.4Alkenes
5.5Alcohols
5.6Organic Analysis
5.7A-A* (AO3/4) - Organic 1
6Organic Chemistry 2 (A2 Only)
6.1Optical Isomerism (A2 Only)
6.2Aldehydes & Ketones (A2 Only)
6.3Carboxylic Acids & Esters (A2 Only)
6.4Aromatic Chemistry (A2 Only)
6.5Amines (A2 Only)
6.6Polymers (A2 Only)
6.7Biological Organic (A2 Only)
6.8Organic Synthesis (A2 Only)
6.9NMR Spectroscopy (A2 Only)
6.10Chromatography (A2 Only)
6.11A-A* (AO3/4) - Organic 2
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