Question

Chlorine was discovered by:
A. Davy
B. Priestly
C. Rutherford
D. Sheele

Answer 1

Hint: Chlorine belongs to group VII A in the periodic table. Chlorine was discovered in 1774. Chlorine is going to represent with a chemical symbol of Cl. Chlorine is the second lightest element among the halogens.

Complete answer:
- The atomic number of chlorine is 17.
- Chlorine exists in between fluorine and bromine in the periodic table. That is why the properties of chlorine are mostly in between fluorine and bromine.
- Chlorine is a greenish yellow color gas at room temperature and pressure.
- Chlorine is the element having highest electronegative value and it is the third element having highest electronegativity on the Pauling scale.
- Chlorine name was given by Humphry Davy in 1810 and said that chlorine exists as a diatomic molecule in nature.
- Therefore Chlorine was discovered by Davy.

So, the correct option is A.

Additional information:
- In Greek chlorine means ‘pale yellow’.
- Chlorine has two stable isotopes; they are Cl-35 and Cl-37.
- Chlorine available in nature in the form of sodium chloride in high percentage.
- The electronic configuration of chlorine is $[Ne]3{{s}^{2}}3{{p}^{5}}$ .
- Commercially chlorine is prepared by the electrolysis of brine solution ( 10% sodium chloride).

Note:
In 1774 Carl wrote about chlorine gas as oxide of a new element. In 1809 few chemists said that it might be a pure chemical. Finally it was confirmed by Humphry Davy Chlorine in 1810 and named it as chlorine.