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Hydrogen chloride is a gas at room temperature and pressure, having the chemical formula HCl. The hydrogen chloride molecule is a simple diatomic molecule consisting of a hydrogen atom and a chlorine atom with a single covalent bond holding them together. The molecules of this diatomic gas are highly polar. This gas is extremely soluble in water. When hydrogen chloride gas dissolves in water, the molecules immediately ionize on contact with the water molecules to form hydronium and chloride ions. The resulting solution is called hydrochloric acid, which is a strong acid.
- HCl + H2O -------> H3O+ + Cl-
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