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Microscale Chemistry in a Plastic Petri Dish:

Preparation and Chemical Properties of Chlorine Gas

Background information: This lab activity was published in The Journal of Chemical
Education, Vol. 79 No. 8 August 2002. Martin M.F. Choi – Author

I like microscale labs for several reasons:


1. They’re small enough to store easily.
2. They use small amounts of chemicals, saving on waste and cost.
3. They’re easier to clean up.
4. Students can perform some activities that would ordinarily be demonstration material.
5. The small scale forces the students to really focus on making good observations.

Instructor Notes
Objectives
• To prepare chlorine gas from bleach solution in a plastic petri dish.
• To illustrate visually some of the oxidizing properties and bleaching power of chlorine gas.

Level
Secondary and introductory college level

Timing
20-30 minutes

Apparatus (per group) :

The following apparatus and chemicals are prepared and provided for each group of students
before the start of the experiment.
♦ Student information recording sheet
♦ One piece of white paper
♦ Two 9 cm plastic petri dishes (base + lid)
♦ Nine plastic disposable pipettes
♦ Tissue

Chemicals (per group) :


♦ Commercial bleach solution ∼ 5 % (w/w) NaClO
♦ Ammonium iron (II) sulfate (freshly prepared) 1 % (w/v)
♦ Sodium sulfite (freshly prepared) 2 % (w/v)
♦ Potassium iodide 0.05 M
♦ Sulfuric acid 1M
♦ Potassium thiocyanate 1 % (w/v)
♦ Barium chloride in 0.1 M HCl 1 % (w/v)
♦ Grape juice commercial sample from market

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Principles
Common bleach solutions contain sodium hypochlorite (∼ 5 % by mass) as the active ingredient
which is prepared by reacting chlorine gas with a cold solution of sodium hydroxide:

Cl2 + 2 NaOH → NaCl + NaClO + H2O

Chlorine gas can easily be generated via the reaction between a bleach solution and sulfuric acid
enclosed in a petri dish:
− −
ClO + Cl + 2H+ → Cl2 + H2O

The chlorine gas produced then diffuses into and reacts with various reagents placed in the dish.
The products of these reactions will visually demonstrate the chemical properties of chlorine gas.
The color change of the droplets can be observed after 10 minutes.

(1) Oxidation of iron (II) to iron (III)

Chlorine turns iron (II) from pale green to pale yellow:



2 Fe2+ + Cl2 → 2 Fe3+ + 2 Cl

On the addition of potassium thiocyanate to iron (III), the color changes to reddish brown:

Fe3+ + SCN → FeSCN2+

(2) Conversion of sulfite to sulfate

Sodium sulfite is oxidized to sodium sulfate in contact with chlorine gas:


− −
SO32 + Cl2 + H2O → SO42 + 2 HCl

The presence of sulfate is confirmed by the addition of acidified barium chloride, producing
white precipitate:

Ba2+ + SO42- → BaSO4 ↓

(3) Bleaching action of chlorine on dyes

In the presence of chlorine, grape juice containing natural dye is decolorized.

(4) Conversion of iodide to iodine

Iodide is quickly oxidized to brownish-yellow iodine on exposure to chlorine gas:


− −
I + Cl2 → I2 + Cl

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A control experiment can also be performed by putting a drop of deionized water instead of
bleach solution in the center of another petri dish and followed by the similar procedure. Thus,
the color change of the droplets in the first petri dish is easier to observe when comparing with
droplets in the control dish.

Hazards

Liquid and mists of bleach solution may severely irritate or damage the eyes. Contact with
bleach solutions will irritate the skin, causing redness and possible inflammation.
Chlorine is a pungent odor gas. It can cause severe eye and skin burns. It is highly toxic to fish
and/or other aquatic organisms. It may cause severe irritation with corneal injury which may
result in permanent impairment of vision, even blindness. Excessive exposure may cause severe
irritation to upper respiratory tract and lungs and may cause lung injury.
Ammonium iron(II) sulfate solution may cause severe irritation or burns to upper respiratory
tract, with coughing, shortness of breath. Repeated exposure to dilute solutions may cause
irritation, redness, pain and drying and cracking of the skin. It may cause severe irritation or
burns to eye tissue, esophagus and gastrointestinal tract, with nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and
black stool.
Contact with sodium sulfite solution may cause slight irritation to the skin and eyes. It may cause
irritation to mucous membranes. Repeated exposure may result in respiratory sensitization. It
may also cause slight gastrointestinal irritation.
Contact with potassium iodide solution may cause allergic respiratory and skin reactions.
Repeated ingestion may cause iodism and reproductive toxin.
Sulfuric acid may cause redness or itching of skin, irritation, and/or tearing of eyes.
Mists/aerosols cause irritation to the upper respiratory tract.
Contact with potassium thiocyanate solution causes irritation to skin, eyes, respiratory tract,
redness and pain.
Contact with barium chloride solution may cause slight irritation to the skin and moderate
irritation to the eyes. Mists/aerosols may cause irritation to upper respiratory tract. It may cause
slight gastrointestinal irritation with possible nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, incoordination, mental
confusion, dizziness and lethargy.
Students must wear splash goggles and gloves to prevent contact of bleach solution and all
chemicals although the reagents used are in very small quantities.

CAS registry numbers of chemicals

Chemicals CAS no.


Sodium hypochlorite 7681-52-9
Ammonium iron (II) sulfate hexahydrate 7783-85-9
Sodium sulfite 7757-83-7
Sulfuric acid 7664-93-9
Potassium thiocyanate 333-20-0
Barium chloride 10361-37-2
Hydrochloric acid 7647-01-0

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Useful references

1. Skinner, J. Microscale Chemistry, The Royal Society of Chemistry: London, 1997; pp


54,141.
2. Ramsden, E. N. A-Level Chemistry, 3rd ed.; Stanley Thornes (Publishers) Ltd: Cheltenham,
1994; pp 396-397.
3. Chang, R. Chemistry, 4th ed.; McGraw-Hill: Hightstown, NJ, 1991; p 907.

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Microscale Chmiestry in a Plastic Petri Dish:
Preparation and Chemical Properties of Chlorine Gas

Objectives:

In this experiment, you are going to prepare and study the chemical properties of chlorine gas on
a microscale.

Hazards

1. Students must wear splash goggles and gloves to prevent contact of bleach solution and all
chemicals although the reagents used are in very small quantities.

2. Each of the chemicals used in this activity can cause irritation to the skin and eyes.

3. Chlorine can cause burns to the skin and eyes. Exercise caution.

Procedure

1. Prepare a table for the recording of your data.

2. The base of a plastic petri dish is directly placed on a piece of white paper.

3. The test solutions are added to the plastic petri dish in the positions and quantities as
indicated in the following diagram:

1 drop of Fe (II) 1 drop of bleach


solution solution + 1 drop of
H2SO4 solution

1 drop of
1 drop of KI
Na2SO3
solution
solution

1 drop of grape
juice

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4. A drop of bleach solution is then dropped in the center of the dish, followed by a drop of
sulfuric acid and the lid is then quickly put in place.

5. After about 10 minutes, observe and record the color changes of the droplets.

6. Upon removal of the lid, one drop of potassium thiocyanate solution is put into iron (II)
solution and observe the color change.

7. A drop of acidified barium chloride solution is also added to the sodium sulfite solution and
record your observation.

8. Clean up your petri dish by wiping it thoroughly with a tissue, then washing it with soap
and water.

Questions

1. What is the active ingredient of common bleach solution?


2. What do you observe when sulfuric acid is added onto the bleach solution? Write out the
chemical equation for the reaction that takes place.
3. What color change do you observe for the KI droplet in the petri dish after 10 minutes?
Write out the chemical equation for the reaction that takes place.
4. What happens to the grape juice droplet? What is your conclusion?
5. What color change do you observe after a drop of potassium thiocyanate solution has been
added to the iron (II) droplet? Write out the chemical equations for the reactions that take
place.
6. Describe your observation after a drop of acidified barium chloride solution has been added
to the sodium sulfite droplet? Write out the chemical equations for the reactions that take
place.

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