Basic Information

Name: Chlorine
Symbol: Cl
Atomic Number: 17
Atomic Mass: 35.4527 amu
Melting Point: -100.98 C (172.17 K, -149.764 F)
Boiling Point: -34.6 C (238.55 K, -30.279997 F)
Number of Protons/Electrons: 17
Number of Neutrons: 18
Classification: Halogen
Crystal Structure: Orthorhombic
Density @ 293 K: 3.214 g/cm3
Color: green

Atomic Structure

Number of Energy Levels: 3

First Energy Level: 2
Second Energy Level: 8
Third Energy Level: 7

Isotopes
Isotope Half Life

Cl-35
Cl-36
Cl-37
Cl-38

Stable
301000.0
years
Stable
37.2 minutes

Facts

Date of Discovery: 1774

Discoverer: Carl Wilhelm Scheele
Name Origin: From the Greek word khlros (green)
Uses: Water purification, bleaches
Obtained From: Salt
Chlorine

Discovery date

1774

Discovered by

C.W. Scheele

Origin of the name

The name is derived from the Greek 'chloros', meaning greenish yellow.

Allotropes

Cl2

17

35.453

Fact box

Group

17

Melting point

-101.5 oC, -150.7 oF, 171.65 K

Period

Boiling point

-34.04 oC, -29.272 oF, 239.11 K

Block

Density (kg m-3)

2030 (113 K)

Atomic number

17

Relative atomic mass

35.453

State at room temperature

Gas

Key isotopes

35

Electron configuration

[Ne] 3s23p5

CAS number

7782-50-5

ChemSpider ID

4514529

ChemSpider is a free chemical structure database

Cl, 37Cl

Uses and properties

Image explanation

The symbol is a version of a generic hazard warning associated with the toxic nature of the gas.
Appearance

A yellowy-green dense gas with a choking smell.

Uses

Chlorine gas is made on a large scale from salt (sodium chloride). It is used to sterilise drinking water, to disinfect
swimming pools and in the manufacture of many consumer products such as paper, dyestuffs, textiles, petroleum
products, medicines, antiseptics, insecticides, foodstuffs, solvents, paints and plastics, especially PVC. It is also used
to produce bleaches, chlorates, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride and bromine. A further substantial use for this
element is in organic chemistry, both as an oxidising agent and in substitution reactions. As the free element it is very
poisonous and was used as a chemical weapon during the First World War.
Biological role

The chloride ion is essential to life. It is mostly present in cell fluid as a negative ion to balance the positive (mainly
potassium) ions, and in extra-cellular fluid (eg blood) to balance the (mainly sodium) ions. Our daily intake is about 6
grams, mainly as salt, but we could manage with half this amount.
Natural abundance

Chlorine is not found uncombined in nature but chiefly as sodium chloride (common salt). This very soluble salt has
been leached into the oceans over the lifetime of the planet, but several salt beds, or lakes are found where ancient
seas have evaporated. Chlorine is also found in the minerals carnallite and sylvite.