The Importance of Chlorine

Sea water contains sodium chloride. If a direct current is passed through sea water, chlorine gas is produced at the electrodes.

Potential Problems:

• Sometimes gases can leak accidentally from a chemical factory, or a tanker.
• Chlorine is a toxic gas and if a leak occurred near a town, many people could be killed + injured.
• A leak of toxic gas could kill more people than an explosion.

Bleach is harmful to living things. It also reacts with many coloured substances, coverting them to colourless products. 

Symbol for Chlorine is CI

Symbol for the atom Chlorine is CI

The formula for Chlorine gas is CI2

Compounds that release Chlorine are well known for keeping water free from bacteria in public swimming pools.