How is chlorine present in the atmosphere?
How is chlorine present in the atmosphere?
The most important inorganic chlorine compound in the troposphere is hydrogen chloride, HCl. Its principal source is acidification of salt spray – reaction of atmospheric sulfuric and nitric acids with chloride ions in aerosols.
Is chlorine gas present in atmosphere?
In the upper atmosphere, chlorine-containing organic molecules such as chlorofluorocarbons have been implicated in ozone depletion….
| Chlorine | |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈklɔːriːn, -aɪn/ (KLOR-een, -yne) |
| Appearance | pale yellow-green gas |
| Standard atomic weight Ar, std(Cl) | [35.446, 35.457] conventional: 35.45 |
What is chlorine gas made up of?
The combination of bleach (sodium hypochlorite) with acid produces chlorine gas, a heavy green-yellow gas with a strong odor. Chlorine gas has also been used as an industrial solvent and has other industrial uses such as the production of bulk materials, bleached paper products, plastics such as PVC, and solvents.
What releases chlorine into the atmosphere?
CFCs
In the lower atmosphere, CFCs are protected from UV light from the ozone layer in the stratosphere. But as CFCs rise, they move into the stratosphere. The UV light in the stratosphere breaks up the CFCs. They release chlorine, and these free chlorine atoms rip oxygen atoms off of ozone, leaving ordinary oxygen gas.
How does chlorine get into the ozone?
Chlorine acts as a catalyst in turning ozone into oxygen in a reaction that wasn’t fully understood until 1973. When a free chlorine atom and an ozone molecule interact, the chlorine atom strips the third oxygen molecule to form chlorine monoxide, an unstable compound, and leave a stable oxygen molecule.
Where does the chlorine come from?
Elemental chlorine does not exist naturally on our planet but is manufactured by electrolysis of seawater. The vast deposits of salt created during millions of years of continental upheaval and slow evaporation of the ancient Lake Bonneville are mined on the shores of the present-day Great Salt Lake.
How was chlorine gas used in ww1?
On April 22, 1915, German forces shock Allied soldiers along the western front by firing more than 150 tons of lethal chlorine gas against two French colonial divisions at Ypres, Belgium. At the outbreak of World War I, the Germans began actively to develop chemical weapons. …
Is chlorine gas visible?
At high concentrations, chlorine is visible as a greenish-yellow gas. Chlorine is heavier than air and may settle in low lying areas. First aid is the immediate temporary treatment given to an exposed individual.
How does chlorine cause ozone depletion?
When chlorine and bromine atoms come into contact with ozone in the stratosphere, they destroy ozone molecules. One chlorine atom can destroy over 100,000 ozone molecules before it is removed from the stratosphere. These compounds contribute to ozone depletion, and are called ozone-depleting substances ( ODS.
How does chlorine act as a catalyst in the upper atmosphere?
Chlorine is able to destroy so much of the ozone because it acts as a catalyst. Chlorine initiates the breakdown of ozone and combines with a freed oxygen to create two oxygen molecules. After each reaction, chlorine begins the destructive cycle again with another ozone molecule.
What are the sources of chlorine in the atmosphere?
Possible sources of chlorine in the atmosphere are industrial liquefication processing, other industrial uses of chlorine, and accidental leakage during storage or trans- portation. Production of chlorine has doubled in the past 10 years and is expected to continue at this rate of in- crease for several years.
Is there any information on the air pollution caused by chlorine?
No information is currently availa- ble on the concentrations of chlorine gas in ambient air. Effective methods are available for control of chlo- rine emissions. No information has been found on the eco- nomic costs of chlorine air pollution or on the costs of its abatement.
What is the name of the compound that contains chlorine?
Hydrogen chloride. The simplest chlorine compound is hydrogen chloride, HCl, a major chemical in industry as well as in the laboratory, both as a gas and dissolved in water as hydrochloric acid. It is often produced by burning hydrogen gas in chlorine gas, or as a byproduct of chlorinating hydrocarbons.
What do we know about the production of chlorine?
Production of chlorine has doubled in the past 10 years and is expected to continue at this rate of in- crease for several years. No information is currently availa- ble on the concentrations of chlorine gas in ambient air. Effective methods are available for control of chlo- rine emissions.
