Answer to Question #4492 in Inorganic Chemistry for Chris

Question

A water treatment plant uses liquid Cl2 for disinfection, which it obtains in railroad cars containing 55 metric tons. If a catastrophic accident released the entire cargo which completely vaporized, what would be the volume of the resulting cloud? Assume ambient temperature and pressure. What would be the density of the cloud, and would it rise in the air or hug the ground?

Answer 1

55 tons is 55 000 kg and 55 000 000 g, so 55 000 000g v
Cl₂ ------> Cl₂ 2*35,5 22,4

v=55 000 000 * 22,4 /2*35,5 = 17352112,7 L

density is 55 000 000 / 17352112,7 = 3,169 g/L

average molecular weight of air is 28,96 and molelular weight of Cl₂ is 71 ,so last one is heavier and it would hug the ground