Question

Chlorine was discovered by:
A.Priestly
B.Davy
C.Scheele
D.Cavendish

Answer 1

Chlorine is a chemical element belonging to halogen group ( group $17$) in a periodic table with chemical formula ${\text{Cl}}$. Chlorine has atomic number $17$. It is a naturally occurring chemical element. The name chlorine is derived from Greek word chloros meaning green colour , referring to the green colour of chlorine gas. Chlorine gas has a suffocating odour and is poisonous. Chlorine in its liquid and solid form is used as a powerful oxidizing , bleaching and disinfecting agent.

Complete step by step solution:
Chlorine is a naturally occurring chemical element. It is one of the basic building blocks of our planet. Chlorine is highly reactive due to this highly reactive property chlorine usually found in nature bound with other elements like potassium, sodium and magnesium. Two most common chlorine compounds are sodium chloride and hydrogen chloride. Where sodium chloride is commonly known as table salt.
Now we will discuss about the discovery of chlorine
In 1774 Swedish pharmacist Carl Wilhelm Scheele obtained chlorine through the reaction of manganese dioxide with hydrochloric acid. A greenish yellow gas produced as a result of the reaction. But Scheele thought that the resulting gas contained oxygen. He had no idea that he just discovered chlorine at that time. After several decades English Chemist Sir Humphrey Davy recognized the greenish yellow gas was actually an element , and in 1810 he named it as chlorine.
So chlorine was discovered by Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele in 1774.

So, the correct answer is option C.

Note: Chlorine is an important chemical used for water purification, as disinfectants, in bleaching powder etc. Also it is used for the manufacture of many products both directly and indirectly such as paper production, paint , plastics, in petroleum industry , medicines etc. $1.9\% $ of the mass in sea water contains chloride ions.