Study of Compounds: Hydrogen Chloride

These flashcards cover key concepts about hydrogen chloride, including its preparation, properties, reactions, and uses, as outlined in the lecture notes.

Hydrogen Chloride (HCl)

A colorless gas with a pungent smell, produced from the reaction of sodium chloride and concentrated sulfuric acid.

Preparation of HCl

Hydrogen chloride is prepared by reacting sodium chloride (NaCl) with concentrated sulfuric acid (H2SO4) under controlled heating.

Fountain Experiment

An experiment that demonstrates the high solubility of hydrogen chloride gas in water using a setup that shows water being drawn into a flask containing HCl gas.

Lewis Structure

A diagram that depicts the arrangement of electrons around the atoms in a molecule, in the case of hydrogen chloride, it shows H and Cl connected by a covalent bond.

Acidic Properties of HCl

Hydrochloric acid can react with metals, oxides, hydroxides, and carbonates to form their respective chlorides, indicating its acidic nature.

Physical Properties of HCl

Includes being a colorless gas, having a pungent smell, being sour in taste, and being denser than air. It irritates the nose, throat, and lungs.

Chemical properties of HCl

HCl is neither combustible nor supports combustion, it decomposes at high temperatures, and reacts with metals to liberate hydrogen.

Back-Suction Prevention

An engineering arrangement in the setup for preparing HCl to avoid back-suction of water into the reaction flask.

Uses of Hydrochloric Acid

Used in industry for metal pickling, making dyes, pharmaceuticals, and in laboratories as a reagent.

Identifying Hydrogen Chloride

Breathing ammonia near HCl gas produces dense white fumes of ammonium chloride, confirming the presence of HCl.