[klawr-een, -in, klohr-] 
| a halogen element, a heavy, greenish-yellow, incombustible, water-soluble, poisonous gas that is highly irritating to the respiratory organs, obtained chiefly by electrolysis of sodium chloride brine: used for water purification, in the making of bleaching powder, and in the manufacture both of chemicals that do not contain chlorine, as ethylene glycol, and of those that do. Symbol: Cl; atomic weight: 35.453; atomic number: 17. |
| chlo·rine (klôr'ēn', -ĭn, klōr'-) n. Symbol Cl A highly irritating, greenish-yellow gaseous halogen, capable of combining with nearly all other elements, produced principally by electrolysis of sodium chloride and used widely to purify water, as a disinfectant and bleaching agent, and in the manufacture of many important compounds including chloroform and carbon tetrachloride. Atomic number 17; atomic weight 35.453; freezing point -100.98°C; boiling point -34.6°C; specific gravity 1.56 (-33.6°C); valence 1, 3, 5, 7. See Table at element. |
A chemical element, normally a corrosive gas, that is widely used for sterilization and cleaning.
Note: Chlorine is added to drinking water to kill bacteria.
Note: Chlorine in CFCs is believed to be responsible for the ozone hole.
chlorine chlo·rine (klôr'ēn', -ĭn)
n.
Symbol Cl
A highly irritating poisonous halogen, capable of combining with nearly all other elements, produced principally by electrolysis of sodium chloride and used widely to purify water, as a disinfectant and bleaching agent, and in the manufacture of many important compounds. Atomic number 17; atomic weight 35.45; freezing point -101.5°C; boiling point -34.0°C; specific gravity 1.56 (-33.6°C); valence 1, 3, 5, 7.
in