Why methane doesn't react with chlorine in dark?
Answers
The reaction cannot take place at Room Temperature. So it is a free- radical reaction. Cl₂ fissure into the atoms of of Chlorine. Chlorine atoms contact to Methane and they led to the formation of HCl and the radicals of Methane. These react with Cl₂ and forms CH₃Cl. So, these are broken to form free-radical reaction. Sun consist of Ultra Violet Rays and this reaction can only be done when there are Ultra Violet Rays. So, methane does not react with Chlorine in dark.
Hope it helps you!
Explanation:
Hint: Methane reacts with Chlorine in the presence of light .Since the reaction proceeds through a free radical intermediate, it requires some kind of energy for forming the free radicals. When in dark, there is no such energy for the free radicals formation to take place.
Complete step by step answer:
Methane reacts with ${ Cl }_{ 2 }$ only in the presence of sunlight.
It is because the reaction of methane with chlorine proceeds through free radicals.
Given below is the reaction of methane with chlorine.
${ CH }_{ 4 }+{ Cl }_{ 2 }\xrightarrow [ sunlight ]{ } { CH }_{ 3 }{ Cl }+{ HCl }$
So, in order to make free radicals, we need to provide some energy in the form of sunlight.
Therefore, the statement given in the question, methane does not react with chlorine in dark is True.