Chlorine

This PowerPoint was brought to you by the the atomic symbol Cl

 Physical Properties
• Chlorine is a dense gas with a density of 3.21 grams per liter. By comparison, the
density of air is 1.29 grams per liter.

• Chlorine changes from a gas into a liquid at a temperature of -34.05°C (-29.29°F) and
from a liquid to a solid at -101.00°C (-149.80°F).

• The gas is soluble (dissolvable) in water.

• It also reacts chemically with water as it dissolves to form hydrochloric acid (HCl) and
hypochlorous acid (HOCl).
 Chemical Properties
• Chlorine is a very active element. It combines with all elements except the noble
gases.

• The reaction between chlorine and other elements can often be vigorous. For
example, chlorine reacts explosively with hydrogen to form hydrogen chloride.

• Chlorine does not burn but, like oxygen, it helps other substances bum. Chlorine is a
strong oxidizing agent
 The fine print
• Chlorine is green and actually named after khlôros, the greek word for green.

• Boiling Point: -34.6 °C (238.55 °K, -30.279997 °F)

• Number of Protons/Electrons: 17

• Number of Neutrons: 18

• Classification: Halogen

• Crystal Structure: Orthorhombic

• Density @ 293 K: 3.214 g/cm3

• Atomic Symbol: Cl

• Atomic Weight: 35.453

Position of Chlorine in the Periodic Table
 Arrangement of Electrons in Chlorine

The arrangement of electron in Chlorine The arrangement of the electrons in chlorine is 2, 8,

atom is
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p5.
The atomic number of an atom gives the
number of protons and hence the number
of electrons. Since the atomic number of
Chlorine is 17, there are 17 electrons in a
chlorine atom.
7 (i.e. 2 in the first shell, 8 in the second shell and 7
in the third or outer shell). This means that they are
not stable, but they need to gain one electron to the
outer shell to complete the octet & make the
chlorine atom stable.
 Order of Filling Sublevels with Electrons in
Chlorine Atom
• The number of electrons that
can fit into each s subshell is 2
for the first, 6 (2 + 4) for the p
subshell and  10 electrons(6 +
4) for the d subshel and so on.
The order filling of electrons
in different subshells can be
obtained by placing diagonal
arrows through the subshell
pattern, as shown.
 Discovery
• Chlorine was discovered in 1774 by Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele (1742-86).
Scheele mixed pyrolusite (consists primarily of manganese dioxide (MnO 2) with
hydrochloric acid (HCl). He found that a greenish-yellow gas with a suffocating odor
"most oppressive to the lungs" was released. The gas was chlorine. He mistook the
gas to be an oxide of the acid and hence named it “Oxymuriatic Acid”.

• In 1800, Humphry David, identified it as an element and gave it the name chlorine
from its greenish color. [Greek – Chloros means green]

• Chlorine is termed as a Halogen; in Greek Halogen means a salt producer on account

of the fact that all halogens occur as salt.
 Occurrence
• Chlorine occurs commonly both in the Earth's crust and in seawater. Its abundance in
the earth is about 100 to 300 parts per million. It ranks 20 th among the elements in
abundance in the earth. Its abundance in seawater is about 2.6%.

• The most common compound of chlorine in seawater is sodium chloride. Smaller

amounts of potassium chloride also occur in sea water.

• Chlorine does not occur in the free state due to its highly reactive nature, high electro
negativity and salt forming tendency.

• Chlorine combines with metals and nonmetals forming corresponding chlorides

 Preparation of Chlorine
• From concentrated hydrochloric acid by oxidation
A Quick Question

•What does a computer, a

blood bag, and a
Ecuadorian tree frog have
in common?
 The answer is of course,
• This is why the
•Chlorine. Come on now, chlorine industry chose
isn’t that what my Chlement the
powerpoint is about? Ecuadorian tree frog to
be its symbol for
• Truth is, chlorine is used promoting the benefits
in the making of of chlorine as a
computers and blood product.
bags, and is also found in
the skin of the
Ecuadorian tree frog.
 Some cool facts
• Chlorine is found in
the Earth itself and, as
salt, in the seas which
cover seven tenths of
the planet.
 More facts
• Worldwide, waterborne diseases kill over 25,000
people each day. Drinking water chlorination is one
of the most widely used methods to safeguard and
protect drinking water supplies.

• It’s fundamental to the life of plants and animals.

Nature and chlorine can do some remarkable
things, like making a painkiller 200 times more
powerful than morphine but with no side-effects -
all part of the natural defenses of the Ecuadorian
tree frog.
 They keep coming...
• Naturally occurring chlorine compounds are
found in our blood, skin, teeth and, also in the
form of hydrochloric acid, in our digestive
system.
• In addition to water disinfection (pools),
chlorine and its derivatives are used to treat
sewage and industrial effluent, and as
household and industrial bleaches to maintain
and improve hygiene standards.
 It’s in your car.
• Chlorine is an essential intermediate in the
production of polycarbonates and
polyurethanes. These important polymers are
used to manufacture telecommunications and
electronic equipment, and to produce
electrical goods, automotive parts, sports
equipment, and even compact discs.
 Facts continued...
• Chlorine-containing
compounds are
important factors in the
manufacture of Vitamin
C.

• Discovered in 1774 by
Scheele, who believed it
contained oxygen.
Chlorine was named in
1810 by Davy, who
insisted it was an
element.
 What’s it for?

• Chlorine is also extensively used in the

production of paper products, dyestuffs,
textiles, petroleum products, medicines,
antiseptics, insecticides, food, solvents, paints,
plastics, and many other consumer products
 How to handle it?
• Chlorine is a respiratory irritant. The gas
irritates the mucus membranes and the liquid
burns the skin. As little as 3.5 ppm can be
detected as an odor, and 1000 ppm is likely to
be fatal after a few deep breaths. In fact,
chlorine was used as a war gas in 1915.
• Exposure to chlorine should not exceed 0.5
ppm (8-hour time-weighted average - 40 hour
week.) So don’t live in the pool, okay?