Final answer:
Ethane reacts with chlorine in UV light to produce chloroethane primarily, with the possibility of further chlorinated products if the reaction continues in the presence of excess chlorine.
Step-by-step explanation:
When ethane reacts with chlorine in the presence of UV light, the reaction is a type of halogenation known as chlorination. This reaction typically yields a mix of products because multiple substitution reactions can occur. Initially, the reaction produces chloroethane, when one hydrogen atom in the ethane molecule is replaced by a chlorine atom. This is represented by the chemical equation:
C2H6 + Cl2 → C2H5Cl + HCl
However, with excess chlorine and continued UV exposure, further chlorinated products such as dichloroethane (C2H4Cl2), trichloroethane (C2H3Cl3), and tetrachloroethane (C2H2Cl4) can be formed.