Why does the chlorine atom in hydrogen chloride acquire a slightly negative charge?

1 Answer
anor277
Sep 12, 2017

Because chlorine is an electronegative element......

Explanation:

And in the #H-Cl# molecule, chlorine polarizes electron density towards itself to give a #stackrel(+delta)H-stackrel(delta-)Cl# dipole. And in aqueous solution, the polarization goes to completion to give hydronium and chloride ions......

#stackrel(+delta)H-stackrel(delta-)Clstackrel(H_2O)rarrH_3O^+ + Cl^-#

What we write as #H_3O^+# is a conception only, and the actual acidium species is probably #H_7O_3^+# or similar.

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