Question

A student is given an aqueous solution of chlorine and an aqueous solution of potassium bromide.
Explain how he can use these two solutions to compare the reactivity of chlorine with the reactivity of bromine.

Answer 1

Explanation:

This class experiment or demonstration explores some of the chemical properties of halogens, comparing the colours of three halogens in aqueous solution and in a non-polar solvent, and observing their bleaching properties and displacement reactions

Halogens react to a small extent with water, forming acidic solutions with bleaching properties. They also undergo redox reactions with metal halides in solution, displacing less reactive halogens from their compounds. These displacement reactions are used to establish an order of reactivity down Group 17 of the periodic table.

This series of simple experiments illustrates some of the chemical properties of the halogens following an introduction to the physical properties of the Group 17 elements. It can be done as a demonstration or as a class experiment.