chlorine Gas (Cl2)

Chlorine gas is a dense, pale yellowish-green, poisonous, gas which can act as a strong oxidizing agent and commonly finds use in disinfecting water and in the production of bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite, NaOCl ! "any methods exist to produce Chlorine gas# this page will focus on a production method in$ol$ing the oxidation of Chloride ions from a Hydrochloric acid solution by "anganese(%& Oxide ("nO', "anganese (ioxide !

)arning Chlorine is toxic and can cause se$ere respiratory damage and, if inhaled in sufficient *uantities, e$en death! +a,e great care to a$oid breathing Chlorine gas! %n case of inhalation, retreat to an area with fresh air immediately!

$apors!

Hydrochloric acid is a strong and highly reacti$e acid which gi$es off harmful, corrosi$e, -lways wear protecti$e clothing and follow proper safety procedures when dealing with Hydrochloric acid!

%t is imperati$e that one perform the reaction outside in an area with plenty of $entilation and away from others! .se only appropriate containers as a reaction $essel and ensure that all /oints fit tightly and securely! ydrochloric acid will react with "anganese(%& Oxide to produce Chlorine gas as well as "anganese(%% Chloride and water!

One may use other oxidizers in place of "nO', such as 0otassium 0ermanganate (1"nO2 , but these tend to be more expensi$e or less common than "anganese (ioxide!

Chlorine gas production

Construct the set up shown below!

- computer-generated graphic showing a chlorine generator similar in design to the abo$e s,etch may be seen below! +he design the chlorine generators are essentially the same, but the computer-generated $ersion gi$es a much more realistic depiction of what the glassware pieces loo, li,e and shows the use of an addition funnel to control the flow of hydrochloric acid into the flas, containing manganese dioxide!

)hen ready to begin the reaction, add the Hydrochloric acid to the reaction $essel, then promptly place the stopper in the flas, so as to direct any gasses produced out through the connected tubing! %n the main reaction $essel, the Hydrochloric acid will react with the "anganese (ioxide and produce Chlorine gas! Once the reactants are mixed, the chemical reaction will proceed spontaneously until the reaction exhausts the limiting reagent! +he rate at which the reaction proceeds depends upon many factors including the concentration of the Hydrochloric acid and the particle size of the "anganese (ioxide! - higher concentration of acid and a finer "nO' particle size will result in the reaction proceeding at a higher rate! +o gain greater control o$er the Chlorine production rate, one can optionally use an -ddition 3unnel, a piece of glassware designed to control the flow of a li*uid from a container on top down into a flas, placed underneath the funnel! - glass or rubber tube connects the top of the funnel to the flas, below so as to allow a smooth flow of li*uid by e*ualizing the pressure in both $essels while the $alue is open and li*uid drains down into the flas,! .tilizing an -ddition 3unnel, one can control the rate at which Hydrochloric acid flows into the flas, containing the "nO' powder, and thus the rate of Chlorine gas production!

+he Chlorine gas produced during the reaction will fill the reaction $essel and then flow out through the tubing and into the next container, which is filled with water! +he Chlorine gas stream emerging from the reaction $essel may also contain Hydrogen Chloride fumes from the Hydrochloric acid and also tiny particles of "anganese compounds from the reaction! -s the Chlorine gas bubbles through the water, the impurities present in the gas stream dissol$e and disperse into the water, lea$ing a greatly purified product emerging from water! -s the Chlorine gas bubbles through the water, some Cl' will dissol$e and react with the water to form Hypochlorous acid (HOCl which will exhibit oxidizing properties not unli,e household bleach, which is a Sodium Hypochlorite solution (NaOCl ! One could produce Sodium Hypochlorite by dissol$ing Chlorine gas in a Sodium Hydroxide solution!

+he Chlorine gas emerging from the water is 4wet5 due to the amount of water $apor present in the gas stream! One can dry the Chlorine gas and remo$e much of the water $apor by passing the gas stream into a drying tube filled with a deliquescent material, such as Calcium Chloride (CaCl' ! Calcium Chloride is extremely hygroscopic and will readily absorb water $apor from the air or, in this case, the surrounding Chlorine gas! +he end result of this process is a stream of relati$ely pure, dry, Chlorine gas! -fter performing the reaction, one might find the reaction $essel stained or discolored from the "anganese (ioxide used in the reaction! %f the flas,s do not wash clean using ordinary water, the stain can usually be remo$ed by either washing with Hydrochloric acid (to con$ert any remaining, insoluble, "nO' to the $ery soluble "nCl' , or using 0otassium "etabisulfite (1'S'O6 which also wor,s well to remo$e "anganese stains! 7e careful of the Sulfur (ioxide (SO' fumes produced by dissol$ing 0otassium "etabisulfite in water!

Reaction between Chlorine gas and Iron metal

+o illustrate the oxidizing property of Chlorine gas one can perform an experiment in$ol$ing a reaction between %ron metal and Chlorine gas! %ron metal reacts with Oxygen gas present in the air ('89 O' to form %ron Oxide! :i$en the right conditions, %ron will e$en burn in an Oxygen atmosphere! %n this reaction, Oxygen gas acts as the oxidizing agent, but it is not the only possible oxidizing agent! Chlorine gas will also oxidize the %ron metal in much the same way, forming %ron Chloride in the process!

ron metal reacts with Chlorine gas to form %ron(%%% Chloride! %n the $ideo below, a piece of Steel wool (mostly %ron metal burns in an open air atmosphere once ignited by a 7utane lighter! +he steel wool then descends into a bea,er filled with Chlorine gas! Once inside the bea,er, the %ron can no longer react with the Oxygen from the air but will instead react with the Chlorine gas which surrounds it! +he thic,, brown, fumes (of %ron(%%% Chloride $apor coming off the reaction indicate that the %ron is reacting with the Chlorine gas in the bea,er! +he reaction does not last long because the %ron *uic,ly consumes the small amount of Chlorine gas in the bea,er!