Hydrocloric Acid (HCl)

Hydrochloric acid is a strong acid that is liquid at room temperature and has the chemical formula HCl. Hydrochloric acid is colorless and highly corrosive. Hydrochloric acid is a natural acid produced by the human body.

Our stomach produces HCl that serves to kill germs that come with food. We should not be late to eat because this acid is always actively working. If there is no food, then hydrochloric acid can damage and injure the stomach wall.

The stomach will feel sore and cause us suffering from gastritis disease. Chronic gastritis can cause pain that is very torturous and can cause death. So, don't late to eat!

Hydrochloric acid is also known as muriatic acid or "spirit of salt". These names are derived from the ingredients for making hydrochloric acid itself, ie FeSO4 and salt rocks containing NaCl.

Hydrochloric acid dissolves in water in any ratio. Concentrated hydrochloric acid contains about 38 percent hydrogen chloride mass, with the highest concentration of 12 molars. Concentrated hydrochloric acid has an acidic odor.

Hydrochloric Acid (HCl). Image Source: wikimediacommons.org
Sometimes, we find hydrochloric acid that is yellowish. This is because hydrochloric acid contains impurities of iron (III) ions.

Hydrochloric acid can dissolve almost all types of metals, except precious metals (such as gold). Lead Metal (Pb) can dissolve in hydrochloric acid when heated.

In water, hydrochloric acid will ionize perfectly into hydrogen ions (H3O +) and chloride ions (Cl-). This is one of the characteristics possessed by strong acids.

HCl (aq) + H2O (l) ==> H3O + (aq) + Cl- (aq)

Most metals react with hydrochloric acid to give chloride compounds from metals and release hydrogen gas. For example, zinc metal reacts with hydrochloric acid to give zinc chloride and hydrogen gas compounds:

Zn (s) + 2HCl (aq) ==> ZnCl2 (aq) + H2 (g)

The resulting hydrogen gas can be seen as gas bubbles around the metal.

Preparation of Hydrochloric Acid
The simplest way to make hydrochloric acid in a laboratory is by reacting solid sodium chloride with concentrated sulfuric acid. The resulting hydrochloric acid is a gas.

NaCl (s) + H2SO4 (l) ==> NaHSO4 (s) + HCl (g)

The above reaction takes place at a temperature of 150 degrees Celsius. HCl gas formed will be collected elsewhere.

If the reaction product above is reheated to 550 degree Celsius, NaHSO4 will react with NaCl (unreacted) to form sodium sulfate (Na2SO4) and hydrogen chloride gas.

NaHSO4 (aq) + NaCl (s) ==> Na2SO4 (s) + HCl (g)

The formed HCl gas is also collected elsewhere, then dissolved in water to form hydrochloric acid.

The above is used in addition to making HCl in the laboratory, also used in industry to produce hydrochloric acid.

The second way commonly used to make hydrogen chloride, especially in the industry is by reacting chlorine gas with hydrogen gas.

Cl2 (g) + H2 (g) ==> 2HCl (g)

However, the production of hydrochloric acid is mostly not through the above two ways. Hydrochloric acid is produced in large quantities as a by-product of the preparation of carbon tetrachloride compounds (CCl4).

CH4 (g) + 4 Cl2 (g) ==> CCl4 (l) + 4 HCl (g)

Use of Chloride Acid

  1. Used to remove rust on the steel surface.
  2. Used in the process of purification of glucose and corn syrup.
  3. Used to make compounds containing chlorine atoms.
  4. Used as household cleaning materials, for example, to clean the home appliances are rusty.
  5. For a person who is only able to produce a little HCl in his stomach, he must swallow capsules containing liquid chloride acid at each meal.
  6. As a solution pH controller, for example in the food and beverage industry, neutralizes the pH of the waste and neutralizes the pH of the swimming pool.
  7. Used as a reagent in the chemistry laboratory.
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