Final answer:
Chlorine reacts with organic materials and is consumed in the process, serving crucial roles in water purification, bleaching, and the formation of various chemicals. It is an essential disinfectant in killing bacteria in water and forming everyday compounds like table salt.
Step-by-step explanation:
When chlorine reacts with organic materials, it is indeed consumed in the reaction. For instance, chlorine is utilized in water purification and bleaching processes. In water treatment, chlorine reacts with water to form hypochlorous acid, which oxidizes organic or biological materials, effectively destroying them and deterring bacterial growth.
In the context of bleaching, chlorine is essential for bleaching wood pulp and cotton cloth by oxidizing colored substances into colorless ones. Furthermore, chlorine plays a significant role in the chemical industry where it chlorinates hydrocarbons, by substituting hydrogen atoms with chlorine, resulting in various useful compounds like tetrachloride (CCl4), chloroform (CHCl3), and others necessary for manufacturing polymers like PVC.
Common Uses of Chlorine
Another application of chlorine is as a disinfectant. It is used in public swimming pools and drinking water supplies to kill bacteria and other microbes. The chemical reactions involving chlorine, such as in the formation of table salt (sodium chloride) from chlorine and sodium, illustrate its role in forming compounds that are crucial in daily life. However, chlorine is a strong oxidizer and a limiting reactant in some reactions, as it gets completely consumed when it reacts with other substances, like hydrogen to form hydrochloric acid (HCl).