Chlorine (Cl)
"Meet Captain Chlorine, the ultimate clean-up hero! He fearlessly purifies our water and banishes germs, but watch out – his powerful methods need careful handling to keep everyone safe."
A memorable persona to anchor Cl in your mind.
3.214
Grams per cm³
-101.5
Celsius (°C)
175
Radius (pm)
Daily Life Link
That unmistakable 'pool smell' that screams summer fun and sparkling clean water? That's Chlorine on duty!
Discovery & History
Year Discovered
1774
Discovered By
Carl Wilhelm Scheele
Origin of Name
"The name is derived from the Greek ''chloros'', meaning greenish yellow."
Technical Properties
Atomic Mass
35.45 u
Standard State
gas
Boiling Point
-34.04°C
Electron Configuration
[Ne] 3s23p5
1st Ionization Energy
12.968 eV
Electron Affinity
N/A
Oxidation States
"A striking, eerie yellowish-green gas that can send a shiver down your spine."
Did You Know?
The Great Purifier: Chlorine is the ultimate germ-buster! For over a century, it's been disinfecting drinking water and swimming pools, making them safe and sparkling for billions of people worldwide.
Halogen Hype: It's part of the 'halogen' family (Group 17) on the periodic table, which means it's super reactive and loves to team up with other elements to form new compounds.
Salt of the Earth (and Ocean!): Ever tasted table salt? That's sodium chloride (NaCl), where chlorine plays a starring role! It's also incredibly abundant in ocean water as chloride ions.
Color Me Green: In its pure gaseous form, chlorine isn't invisible – it's a distinct, yellowish-green gas. Imagine a ghostly, greenish fog!