HYDROGEN CHLORIDE – HCl Hydrogen chloride gas is prepared in the following methods. By synthesis or direct combination: H2 + Cl2 2HCl Moisture acts as catalyst. This reaction is not carried out in direct sunlight because it is explosive. Laboratory method – from NaCl and Conc. Sulphuric acid NaCl + H2SO4 NaHSO4 + HCl Conc. 2NaCl + H2SO4 Na2SO4 + HCl Conc. Reactants : Sodium chloride (rock salt) and Conc. H2SO4 Sodium Chloride is preferred because it is cheap and easily available. Conc. H2SO4 is used because it is non-volatile. Conc.HNO3 not preferred because it is a volatile acid. Products : Sodium bisulphate and Hydrogen chloride gas Temperature : less than 2000C If it is more than 2000C Fuel is wasted, the glass apparatus may tend to crack and the product Sodium sulphate form a hard crust which is difficult to remove from the round bottom flask. Precautions : The reactants must be heated slowly –to control the evolution of Hydrogen chloride gas. The lower end o...