MolDraw › 3D molecule models › Hydrogen chloride 3D model
Hydrogen chloride molecule model (HCl)
Hydrogen chloride is a polar diatomic molecule. Dissolved in water it ionises completely to hydrochloric acid, one of the most important strong acids in chemistry and in your stomach.
Drag to rotate · pinch or scroll to zoom. 3D coordinates: PubChem conformer (CID 313).
Hydrogen chloride at a glance
| Formula | HCl |
|---|---|
| Molar mass | 36.46 g/mol |
| IUPAC name | chlorane |
| Atoms / bonds | 2 / 1 |
| H-bond donors / acceptors | 1 / 0 |
| XLogP3 | 0.8 |
| SMILES | Cl |
| PubChem CID | 313 |
What the 3D model of Hydrogen chloride shows
The model contains 2 atoms (1 heavy atom and 1 hydrogen) joined by 1 bonds; in ball-and-stick mode every stick is one bond, and double or aromatic bonds are drawn as multiple sticks. Switch to space-filling to see the molecule as its electron cloud, scaled to van der Waals radii: this is the shape other molecules actually "feel". It can donate 1 and accept 0 hydrogen bonds, and its PubChem XLogP3 of 0.8 means it is fairly balanced between water and fat solubility. Its topological polar surface area is 0 Ų.
Shape and bond angles
| Atom(s) | Geometry / hybridisation | Angles & lengths |
|---|---|---|
| H–Cl | Linear diatomic | H–Cl bond length 127.5 pm |
Is Hydrogen chloride polar?
Polar (about 1.08 D). Chlorine (EN 3.16) pulls electron density from hydrogen (EN 2.20).
Elemental composition of HCl
| Element | Atoms | Mass (g/mol) | Mass % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrogen (H) | 1 | 1.008 | 2.76% |
| Chlorine (Cl) | 1 | 35.450 | 97.24% |
Calculated from IUPAC standard atomic weights. Check any formula with the molar mass calculator.
Uses of hydrogen chloride
- Hydrochloric acid for pickling steel and adjusting pH
- Production of PVC precursors and inorganic chlorides
- Gastric acid (about pH 1.5–3.5) helps digestion
Interesting facts
- Concentrated hydrochloric acid is about 37% HCl by mass.
- HCl is a gas at room temperature (bp −85 °C). Hydrochloric acid is its solution in water.
- In water it fully donates its proton: HCl + H₂O → H₃O⁺ + Cl⁻.
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Open MolDraw editorFrequently asked questions
Is HCl polar or nonpolar?
Polar. The H–Cl bond has a large electronegativity difference, and with only two atoms nothing can cancel the dipole.
What is the difference between hydrogen chloride and hydrochloric acid?
Hydrogen chloride is the HCl molecule (a gas). Hydrochloric acid is HCl dissolved in water, where it exists as H₃O⁺ and Cl⁻.
What is the chemical formula and molar mass of hydrogen chloride?
Hydrogen chloride is HCl with a molar mass of 36.46 g/mol (PubChem CID 313). It contains 2 atoms: 1 chlorine, 1 hydrogen.
What is the IUPAC name of Hydrogen chloride?
The PubChem-computed IUPAC name is chlorane.
How do I make a model of Hydrogen chloride?
Rotate the interactive model above to see how its 2 atoms connect, then copy it with a ball-and-stick kit: use the CPK colours shown (carbon grey or black, hydrogen white, oxygen red, nitrogen blue). For a school project, foam balls and toothpicks work well.