Here's a breakdown:
* Bromine water is a reddish-brown solution containing dissolved bromine (Br₂).
* Methane is a colorless and odorless gas.
The reaction:
The reaction requires UV light or heat to proceed. In the presence of light or heat, the bromine molecule breaks down into bromine radicals (Br•), which are highly reactive. These bromine radicals can then attack the methane molecule, replacing a hydrogen atom with a bromine atom. This results in the formation of bromomethane (CH₃Br) and hydrogen bromide (HBr).
The reaction equation:
```
CH₄ + Br₂ → CH₃Br + HBr
```
Observations:
* The reddish-brown color of the bromine water will fade as the bromine reacts with methane.
* Hydrogen bromide (HBr), a colorless gas, will be produced.
Note:
This reaction is a slow process and can be quite messy. It requires careful control of the reaction conditions to prevent the formation of multiple brominated products.
Important:
This reaction is an example of a free radical reaction. Free radicals are highly reactive species that can initiate chain reactions.
