The final products of the reaction between methane and chlorine in the presence of ultraviolet light are hydrogen chloride and?
tricloromethane
dichloromethane
tetrachloromethane
chloromethane
Explanation
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The correct answer is C.
Explanation:
When a mixture of methane and chlorine is exposed to ultraviolet light - typically sunlight - a substitution reaction occurs and the organic product is chloromethane.
CH4 + Cl2 → CH3Cl + HCl
However, the reaction doesn't stop there, and all the hydrogens in the methane can in turn be replaced by chlorine atoms. That means that you could get any of chloromethane, dichloromethane, trichloromethane or tetrachloromethane.
CH4 + Cl2 → CH3Cl + HCl
CH3Cl + Cl2 → CH2Cl2 + HCl
CH2Cl2 + Cl2 → CHCl3 + HCl
CHCl3 + Cl2 → CCl4 + HCl
Remember that the question asked for the FINAL PRODUCTS, that will be TETRACHLOROETHANE.
When a mixture of methane and chlorine is exposed to ultraviolet light - typically sunlight - a substitution reaction occurs and the organic product is chloromethane.
CH4 + Cl2
CH3Cl + HCl
However, the reaction doesn't stop there, and all the hydrogens in the methane can in turn be replaced by chlorine atoms. That means that you could get any of chloromethane, dichloromethane, trichloromethane or tetrachloromethane.
CH4 + Cl2
CH3Cl + HCl
CH3Cl + Cl2
CH2Cl2 + HCl
CH2Cl2 + Cl2
CHCl3 + HCl
CHCl3 + Cl2
CCl4 + HCl
You might think that you could control which product you got by the proportions of methane and chlorine you used, but it isn't as simple as that. If you use enough chlorine you will eventually get CCl4, but any other proportions will always lead to a mixture of products.
Myschool the answer is D, check any chemistry textbook under reactions of alkanes
The question asks for the final product of the reaction between methane (CH₄) and chlorine (Cl₂) under ultraviolet (UV) light, along with hydrogen chloride (HCl).
This reaction is a free radical substitution reaction, where chlorine radicals replace hydrogen atoms in methane step by step:
1. CH₄ + Cl₂ → CH₃Cl + HCl (chloromethane)
2. CH₃Cl + Cl₂ → CH₂Cl₂ + HCl (dichloromethane)
3. CH₂Cl₂ + Cl₂ → CHCl₃ + HCl (trichloromethane)
4. CHCl₃ + Cl₂ → CCl₄ + HCl (tetrachloromethane)
Since the question asks for the final product, the answer is C) tetrachloromethane (CCl₄).
D should be the answer..
When a mixture of methane and chlorine is exposed to ultraviolet light - typically sunlight - a substitution reaction occurs and the organic product is chloromethane
