.
The Element
Chlorine
Learn About the
Element Chlorine
Chlorine (element symbol Cl)
is an element you encounter every day and need in order to live.
Chlorine is atomic number 17 with
element symbol Cl.
1.
Chlorine belongs to the halogen element group. It is the second
lightest halogen, after fluorine.
2.
Like other halogens, it's an extremely reactive element that
readily forms the -1 anion.
Because
of its high reactivity, chlorine is found in compounds.
Free
chlorine is rare, but exists as a dense, diatomic gas.
3.
Although chlorine compounds have been used by man since ancient
times, pure chlorine was not produced (on purpose) until 1774 when Carl Wilhelm
Scheele reacted magnesium dioxide with spiritus
salis (now known as hydrochloric acid) to form chlorine gas.
Scheele
did not recognize this gas as a new element, instead believing it to contain
oxygen.
It
wasn't until 1811 that Sir Humphry Davy determined the gas was, in fact, a
previously unidentified element. Davy gave chlorine its name.
4.
Pure chlorine is a greenish-yellow gas or liquid with a
distinctive odor (like chlorine bleach).
The
element name comes from its color. The Greek word chloros means
greenish-yellow.
5.
Chlorine is the 3rd most abundant element in the ocean (about
1.9% by mass) and 21st most abundant element in the Earth’s crust.
6. There
is so much chlorine in the Earth's oceans that it would weigh 5x more than our
present atmosphere, if it were somehow suddenly released as a gas.
7.
Chlorine is essential for living organisms. In the human
body, it's found as the chloride ion, where it regulates osmotic pressure and
pH and aids digestion in the stomach.
The
element is usually obtained by eating salt, which is sodium chloride (NaCl).
While
it's needed for survival, pure chlorine is extremely toxic. The gas irritates
the respiratory system, skin, and eyes.
Exposure
to 1 part per thousand in air may cause death.
Since
many household chemicals contain chlorine compounds, it's risky to mix them
because toxic gases may be released.
In
particular, it's important to avoid mixing chlorine bleach with vinegar,
ammonia, alcohol or acetone.
8.
Because chlorine gas is toxic and because it's heavier than air,
it was used as a chemical weapon.
The
first use was in 1915 by the Germans in World War I. Later, the gas was also
used by the Western Allies.
The
effectiveness of the gas was limited because its strong odor and distinctive
color alerted troops to its presence.
Soldiers
could protect themselves from the gas by seeking higher ground and breathing
through damp cloth, since chlorine dissolves in water.
9. Pure
chlorine is obtained primarily by electrolysis of salt water.
Chlorine is used to make drinking water safe, for bleaching,
disinfection, textile processing, and to make numerous compounds.
The compounds include chlorates, chloroform, synthetic rubber,
carbon tetrachloride, and polyvinyl chloride.
Chlorine compounds are used in medicines, plastics, antiseptics,
insecticides, food, paint, solvents, and many other products.
While chlorine is still used in refrigerants, the amount of
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) released into the environment has dramatically
declined.
These compounds are believed to have contributed significantly
to the destruction of the ozone layer.
10.
Natural chlorine consists of two stable isotopes: chlorine-35
and chlorine-37.
Chlorine-35
accounts for 76% of the natural abundance of the element, with chlorine-37
making up the other 24% of the element.
Numerous
radioactive isotopes of chlorine have been produced.
11. The
first chain reaction to be discovered was a chemical reaction involving
chlorine, not a nuclear reaction, as you might expect.
In 1913, Max Bodenstein observed a mixture of chlorine gas and
hydrogen gas exploded upon exposure to light.
Walther Nernst explained the chain reaction mechanism for this
phenomenon in 1918.
Chlorine is made in stars via the oxygen-burning and
silicon-burning processes.
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Anne Helmenstine, Ph.D., is an author and consultant with a broad
scientific and medical background.
Dr. Helmenstine has extensive experience as a
science writer. She has covered About.com and ThoughtCo chemistry since 2001
and biology, physics, mathematics, astronomy, and psychology since 2015.
Anne is a scientific consultant, specializing
in problems that require an interdisciplinary approach.
Prior to becoming a full-time science writer,
Anne was a research scientist and college professor.
Anne's printable periodic tables are
widely publicized in books and journals. They are free to download and print.
Experience
Anne has taught chemistry, biology, astronomy,
and physics at the high school, college, and graduate level. In her doctoral
work, Anne developed ultra-sensitive chemical detection and medical diagnostic
tests. She has worked abstracting/indexing diverse scientific literature for
the Department of Energy. She presently works as a freelance writer and
scientific consultant. She enjoys adapting lab-based science projects so that
they can be performed safely at home.
Education
Dr. Helmenstine has bachelor of arts degrees
in physics and mathematics with a minor in chemistry from Hastings College in
Nebraska and a doctorate of philosophy in biomedical sciences from the University
of Tennessee at Knoxville.
https://www.thoughtco.com/facts-about-the-element-chlorine-3860219
.
You might also like:
Chlorine Bleach
CLICK
HERE . . .
.
Chlorine Taste In Your Drinking Water
CLICK
HERE . . .
.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Disinfection
CLICK
HERE . . .
.
Swimming Pool Disinfection
CLICK
HERE . . .
.
Shock Chlorination of Wells
and Springs
CLICK
HERE . . .
..
Multi-Media Filter, Highly-Activated Carbon Filter,
Zeolite-Process Water Softener With Brine Tank,
Fiberglass Ballast-Type Pressure Tank
(fully automatic backwash & regeneration)
PURICARE
INDUSTRIAL
ENTERPRISES
Water
Treatment
Systems
.
.
...
Aganan, Pavia, Iloilo, Philippines
...
CLICK HERE . . . to view company profile . . .
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Anne Helmenstine, Ph.D., is an author and consultant with a broad
scientific and medical background.
Dr. Helmenstine has extensive experience as a
science writer. She has covered About.com and ThoughtCo chemistry since 2001
and biology, physics, mathematics, astronomy, and psychology since 2015.
Anne is a scientific consultant, specializing
in problems that require an interdisciplinary approach.
Prior to becoming a full-time science writer,
Anne was a research scientist and college professor.
Anne's printable periodic tables are
widely publicized in books and journals. They are free to download and print.
Experience
Anne has taught chemistry, biology, astronomy,
and physics at the high school, college, and graduate level. In her doctoral
work, Anne developed ultra-sensitive chemical detection and medical diagnostic
tests. She has worked abstracting/indexing diverse scientific literature for
the Department of Energy. She presently works as a freelance writer and
scientific consultant. She enjoys adapting lab-based science projects so that
they can be performed safely at home.
Education
Dr. Helmenstine has bachelor of arts degrees
in physics and mathematics with a minor in chemistry from Hastings College in
Nebraska and a doctorate of philosophy in biomedical sciences from the University
of Tennessee at Knoxville.
https://www.thoughtco.com/facts-about-the-element-chlorine-3860219
.
You might also like:
INDUSTRIAL
ENTERPRISES
.
You might also like:
Chlorine Bleach
CLICK
HERE . . .
.
Chlorine Taste In Your Drinking Water
CLICK
HERE . . .
.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Disinfection
CLICK
HERE . . .
.
Swimming Pool Disinfection
CLICK
HERE . . .
.
Shock Chlorination of Wells
and Springs
CLICK
HERE . . .
..
Multi-Media Filter, Highly-Activated Carbon Filter,
Zeolite-Process Water Softener With Brine Tank,
Fiberglass Ballast-Type Pressure Tank
(fully automatic backwash & regeneration)
|
PURICARE
Water
Treatment
Systems
.
.
...
Aganan, Pavia, Iloilo, Philippines
...
CLICK HERE . . . to view company profile . . .
CLICK HERE . . . to view company profile . . .
No comments:
Post a Comment