Chlorine vs Chloride: Difference and Comparison

The periodic table currently has 103 elements. But as time goes by and the Earth is being dug up deeper, more and more elements resurface.

These periodic table elements were placed according to the atomic number that automatically arranged them according to their atomic mass.

The seventeenth element of the periodic table is chlorine. But often, people mistake chlorine for chloride as they sound similar and have similar symbols. But what is the difference between the two?

Key Takeaways

1. Chlorine is a chemical element with the symbol Cl and atomic number 17, while chloride is an ion formed from chlorine.
2. Chlorine is a greenish-yellow gas at room temperature used for disinfection and bleaching. At the same time, chloride is a salt commonly found in nature and used in various industrial processes.
3. Chlorine gas can be toxic if inhaled in high concentrations, while chloride ions are essential for functioning many biological processes in the body.

Chlorine vs Chloride

Chlorine is a chemical element with the symbol Cl and atomic number 17. That yellow-green gas is highly reactive and toxic, widely used in the production of solvents, disinfectants, plastics, and many other chemicals. Chloride is an ion that is formed when chlorine gains an electron.

Chlorine is the periodic table element, with Cl as the symbol. The atomic number of chlorine is 17, and its atomic mass is 35.5. Chlorine is naturally found in the gaseous state and is a yellow-green gas.

The first chlorine synthesis was done in 1683, but it was not fully considered an element back then.

Chloride is the ionic state of chlorine formed when chlorine gains one electron. They are least/not electronegative as they have an inert gas configuration.

They have the configuration of Argon as they have 18 electrons. Since they have 18 electrons and 17 protons, they are highly unstable and reactive.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Chlorine	Chloride
Type of particle	An element	It is an anion.
Natural form	chlorine is a gas in its natural state.	Chloride mostly occurs as a mineral supplement.
Colour	Yellow-ish green when in the gaseous state.	It is colourless in an aqueous medium like all the other ions.
Number of electrons	Chlorine has 17 electrons and protons.	Chloride has 18 electrons and 17 protons.
Inert Configuration	They are still in their elemental form. So inert configuration is not obtained.	They are an ion with 18 electrons and have attained the electronic configuration of the inert gas, Argon.
Electronegativity	It is the third-highest element in the electronegative series of elements.	Though it is an ion of chlorine, it is less electronegative as it has an inert configuration.

What is Chlorine?

Chlorine is an element of the periodic table. It was first synthesized in 1683 as a gas. So their naturally occurring state is as a gas. But it wasn’t until 1810 that it was named a pure gas and named ‘chlorine’.

The name was given because of the yellowish-green colour of the gas, as ‘khlorous’ stands for green in Greek. They are highly electronegative and are the third-highest electronegative element in the periodic table.

So, they are good oxidizing agents. Since they are good oxidizing agents, they are also used in the bleaching industry. Apart from bleaching, they are also used as a disinfectant for water purification and sanitization.

It is very difficult to find chlorine in its elemental form, and harmful. It is not to be consumed directly.

Their rarity is also because of their reactivity which does not allow them to stay in their elemental form but rather as compounds with other elements.

What is Chloride?

Chloride is the anion of chlorine that is obtained by gaining one electron. The symbol Cl represents it^–. Chloride has 18 electrons and 17 protons in its atom.

This makes them highly unstable and reactive. So they are found as salts with other ions like potassium chloride and calcium chloride. The most common form of chloride is sodium chloride, the common salt.

Apart from salts, they are also vital minerals needed for our body and are found as mineral supplements. It is one of the major minerals that is found in our body. About 750-800 g of chloride are consumed by a human being.

The lack of chloride can lead to hyponatremia. This causes weakness in muscles and lethargy. But excess chloride is also not to be consumed as it leads to hypernatremia and dehydration.

Main Differences Between Chlorine and Chloride

1. Though they may seem similar, they are different types of particles. Chlorine is an element belonging to the periodic table. On the other hand, chloride is an ion formed when chlorine gains one electron.
2. Chlorine is naturally in a gas state. When first discovered in the 1680s, chlorine was presented as a gas. Chloride, being an ion, mostly occurs in mineral supplements.
3. Chlorine gas is yellow-green coloured. Since ions are not coloured, chloride is a colourless ion in aqueous solutions.
4. Since chloride is formed by gaining one electron, the number of electrons differs between the two. Chlorine has 17 electrons and protons. Since chloride gains one electron, they have 18 electrons but 17 protons. This makes them highly unstable and reactive.
5. In elemental form, chlorine does not have an inert configuration, i.e., the electronic configuration of the nearest inert element. Chloride having one extra electron has achieved inert configuration. Chloride has the configuration of the element, Argon.
6. Since chlorine has not achieved inert gas configuration, they are highly electronegative. They are the third highest element in the electronegative series of elements. But chloride is the least electronegative or not electronegative at all.

References

1. Spatial patterns of organic chlorine and chloride in Swedish forest soil – ScienceDirect
2. Chloride and chlorine isotopes (36Cl and δ37Cl) as tracers of solute migration in a thick, clay‐rich aquitard system (wiley.com)