Question

Hydrochloric acid contains (i) hydrogen (ii) chlorine. Prove it. Write equations for the reactions.

Answer 1

We can prove that hydrochloric acid contains both hydrogen and chlorine by the following experiment.
Take a voltameter used for electrolysis of water, fitted with platinum cathode and graphite anode.
Into the voltameter pour 4 molar HCl and pass direct current.
It is seen that a colourless gas is evolved at cathode and a greenish gas is evolved at anode.
When a burning splinter is brought near a colourless gas, it bursts into flame thereby proving that it is hydrogen gas.
When moist starch iodide paper is held in the greenish yellow gas, it turns blue black, thereby proving that the gas is chlorine.
2HCl → H₂ + Cl₂
This experiment proves that hydrochloric acid contains both hydrogen and chlorine.