How does hydrogen chloride behave in aqueous solution?

1 Answer
anor277
Nov 16, 2016

The hydrogen chloride molecule hydrolyzes in water to give, formally, #H_3O^+# and #Cl^(-)(aq)# ions.

Explanation:

Alternatively, I could have proposed that hydrolysis gives #H^+(aq)# and #Cl^(-)(aq)# ions. In water these ions are solvated, or #"aquated"# by several water molecules. And so the electron devolves to an electronegative atom that could be solvated by water molecules.

Pure hydrogen chloride is a room temperature gas that has a considerable solubility in water?

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