In electrolysis of NaCl. How does CL become 1/2CL2?

Thread starter ihaveabutt
Start date Jul 24, 2012
Tags

Electrolysis

In summary, electrolysis of NaCl involves passing an electric current through a solution of NaCl, causing the NaCl molecules to dissociate into Na+ and Cl- ions. The Cl- ions migrate to the positive electrode and are oxidized to produce chlorine gas, while the Na+ ions migrate to the negative electrode and combine with water molecules to form HCl. This process is commonly used in industry to produce chlorine gas, which is then used to make various products. The main products of electrolysis of NaCl are chlorine gas, hydrogen gas, and sodium hydroxide, and the concentration of the NaCl solution can affect the amount of Cl2 gas produced.

Jul 24, 2012

ihaveabutt

Na+ + CI- → Na + 1/2C12

How is it Cl becomes Cl2? (what about conservation?) and why does it become diatomic?

Chemistry news on Phys.org

Jul 24, 2012

xodin

I'm not sure about the conservation you're mentioning, but I believe Cl becomes Cl2 because they are each short of an octet by one electron. So, each Cl gives up one electron to form a bond between them and the octets are satisfied.

FAQ: In electrolysis of NaCl. How does CL become 1/2CL2?

How does electrolysis of NaCl produce chlorine gas?

During electrolysis, an electric current is passed through a solution of NaCl (sodium chloride). This causes the NaCl molecules to dissociate into Na+ and Cl- ions. The Cl- ions migrate to the positive electrode (anode) and are oxidized, releasing electrons and forming chlorine gas (Cl2).

Why does only half of the Cl- ions form Cl2 gas?

During electrolysis of NaCl, the Na+ ions also migrate to the negative electrode (cathode). At the cathode, water molecules (H2O) are reduced, producing H+ ions and OH- ions. The H+ ions combine with some of the Cl- ions to form HCl (hydrochloric acid), while the remaining Cl- ions are oxidized to form Cl2 gas.

How is electrolysis of NaCl used in industry?

Electrolysis of NaCl is commonly used in the industrial production of chlorine gas. This gas is then used to produce a variety of products such as bleach, PVC, and hydrochloric acid. Additionally, the electrolysis of NaCl is also used in the production of sodium hydroxide (NaOH), another important industrial chemical.

What are the products of electrolysis of NaCl?

The main products of electrolysis of NaCl are chlorine gas (Cl2), hydrogen gas (H2), and sodium hydroxide (NaOH). However, the exact amounts of each product will depend on the concentration of the NaCl solution and the conditions of the electrolysis process.

How does the concentration of the NaCl solution affect the production of Cl2 gas?

The concentration of the NaCl solution can affect the production of Cl2 gas during electrolysis. A higher concentration of NaCl will result in a higher concentration of Cl- ions available to form Cl2 gas. However, if the solution becomes too concentrated, it can lead to the formation of undesirable byproducts such as sodium chlorate (NaClO3) or sodium hypochlorite (NaClO).