Question

State three tests by which you could identify a gas as chlorine?

Answer 1

Hint: Chlorine gas is produced when bleach (sodium hypochlorite) is combined with acid to form a heavy green-yellow gas with a strong stench. The deadly gaseous chlorine is classified as a lung irritant. It has medium water solubility and is capable of producing acute respiratory tract injury in both the upper and lower respiratory tracts.

Complete answer:
Three tests to identify chlorine gas are:
1. Smell Identification test: Chlorine has a distinct strong, suffocating odour.

2. Litmus paper test: Chlorine is commonly seen as one of the results of chloride salt solution electrolysis. To check for chlorine, litmus paper is used. Litmus paper comes in two varieties.
• Red litmus is usually used to check for alkalis.
• Blue litmus is usually used to test for acids.
• Any type of litmus paper can be used for the chlorine test, however blue litmus paper is the most common. The litmus paper must be damp because water dissolves some of the chlorine, allowing it to react with the litmus paper's indicator.

3. Starch-iodide test: Placing damp starch-iodide paper in a test tube with chlorine is an alternate test for chlorine. The paper turns from white to blue-black when there is a positive test for chlorine.

Note:
• Industrial uses for chlorine gas include the manufacturing of bulk materials, bleached paper goods, plastics such as PVC, and solvents.
• Chlorine gas is also utilised in the production of colours, textiles, paint, and even pharmaceuticals.
• For simple storage in liquid form, chlorine gas is compressed and cooled. When chlorine is released as a liquid, it immediately transforms into a yellow-green coloured gas with an unpleasant stench.
• Chlorine accumulates in low-lying locations because it is heavier than air.