Aluminium + Chlorine Gives Aluminium Chloride

Aluminium is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. It is a silver-white, soft, non-magnetic, ductile metal that is found primarily in bauxite ore. Chlorine, on the other hand, is a chemical element with the symbol Cl and atomic number 17. It is a yellowish-green gas at room temperature and a highly reactive halogen.

When aluminium is combined with chlorine, they react to form aluminium chloride which is an ionic compound with the chemical formula AlCl3. This reaction can be represented by the following chemical equation:

2Al + 3Cl2 → 2AlCl3

This equation shows that two atoms of aluminium react with three molecules of chlorine gas to produce two molecules of aluminium chloride. The reaction is exothermic and releases energy in the form of heat.

During the reaction, aluminium loses three electrons to form a positively charged ion (Al3+) while each chlorine molecule gains one electron to form negatively charged chlorine ions (Cl-). These oppositely charged ions attract each other and form a crystal lattice structure in which the positive and negative ions are held together by strong electrostatic forces.

Aluminium chloride is a white or light yellow crystalline solid that is highly soluble in water and polar solvents. It is used in a variety of industrial applications such as catalysts, refining of petroleum, production of dyes, and inorganic chemicals.