Final answer:
The chemical reaction of chlorous acid in water is HClO₂ (l) ⇌ H⁺(aq) + ClO₂⁻(aq), involving the formation of hydronium ions and chlorite ions in an equilibrium reaction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The chemical reaction for chlorous acid (HClO₂) dissociating in water is written as follows:
HClO₂ (l) ⇌ H⁺(aq) + ClO₂⁻(aq)
This reaction represents the acid dissociation process, where chlorous acid reacts with water to form hydronium ions (H⁺) and chlorite ions (ClO₂⁻). It's an equilibrium reaction indicating that the forward and reverse reactions occur at the same rate, leading to a mixture of reactants and products. In more complex chlorine chemistry involving disproportionation reactions, elemental chlorine can be both oxidized and reduced, forming various products depending on the pH level of the solution. For instance, in an acidic solution, the addition of hydrochloric acid (HCl) to water yields hydronium ions (H₃O⁺) and chloride ions (Cl⁻), which are solvated by the surrounding water molecules.
When studying chlorous acid in the broader context of other chlorine-containing compounds, chlorine undergoes disproportionation, where it can simultaneous oxidize to form hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and reduce to chloride ions (Cl⁻) in water. These chlorine-based reactions are an important aspect of aqueous chlorine chemistry, with applications ranging from water treatment to the synthesis of various chemical compounds.