Chemical Forums
Chemistry Forums for Students => High School Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: rocky on December 01, 2007, 08:42:40 PM
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Having some problems with the reaction between chlorine and water:
so far I know :
Cl2 + H2O = HCl + H+ + Cl-
This is a redox reaction, right? So what I'm trying to find are the two half reactions.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
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Cl2 + H2O = HCl + H+ + Cl-
Isn't rxn: Cl2 + H2O → HOCl + HCl ?
In fact, HOCl may decompose in sunlight: so O2 could also be a product (could someone verify this).
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This is a disproportionation reaction as Sev wrote. The oxidation state of Cl2 (0) is conserved as HCl (Cl = -1) and HOCl (Cl = +1)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disproportionation
(1) Cl2 + H2O → HOCl + HCl
Then in sunlight decomposition occurs
(2) 2 HOCl → 2 HCl + O2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypochlorite