Hint: If a chemical compound is very reactive when it is exposed to light or if a chemical compound is very sensitive towards heat and humidity and can easily be decomposed, then in order to protect its chemical properties, we need to store them in a dark or colored bottle. A colored bottle will help the chemical compound to avoid the light, heat, humidity, and other factors that can lead to the decomposition of the compound.
Complete step by step answer:
A peroxide molecule is defined as a molecule in which an oxygen – oxygen single bond is present (known as peroxide linkage). Hydrogen peroxide is a chemical compound which is composed of hydrogen and oxygen atoms. The molecular formula of hydrogen peroxide is ${H_2}{O_2}$. The chemical structure of a hydrogen peroxide molecule is given below:
The oxygen-oxygen bond is the peroxide linkage (shown above) and one hydrogen atom is above the plane (solid dark bond) of oxygen – oxygen bond and the other one is below the plane (broken bond).
Hydrogen peroxide, a liquid compound, is the simplest form of all peroxides and it has a significant oxidizing power and it is widely used as an oxidizer. Hydrogen peroxide is supposed to be a little bit more viscous than water.
Hydrogen peroxide is highly reactive and its chemistry is dominated by the oxygen – oxygen bond (peroxide bond) which can easily be broken in presence of light or heat. Due to the presence of this peroxide bond, it is thermodynamically unstable and can easily be decomposed into water and oxygen in presence of light. The decomposition reaction of hydrogen peroxide is given below:
$2{H_2}{O_2} \to 2{H_2}O + {O_2}$
Thus, if we store hydrogen peroxide in a normal glass bottle, then it will be exposed to light very easily and will be decomposed into water and oxygen. By this process of decomposition, hydrogen peroxide will be able to evaporate as oxygen gas and all its chemical properties will be lost. Hence, hydrogen peroxide is stored in a colored (generally brown colored bottle) bottle in order to nullify its decomposition and protect its chemical properties.
Apart from that, hydrogen peroxide can easily react with alkali metal ions ({ Na }^{ + }, { K }^{ + } etc.). A normal glass bottle contains many alkali metals residues which may easily react with hydrogen peroxide if we store it in a regular glass bottle. In order to avoid this unwanted interaction, the regular glass bottles are avoided to store hydrogen peroxide. So, if we summarize, then to protect the hydrogen peroxide from light, heat, humidity, and alkali metal ions and to keep its chemical properties intact, hydrogen peroxide is kept in colored bottles.
Note: The peroxide linkage makes the hydrogen peroxide very reactive towards light. So, a very darker colored bottle (dark brown) is used to keep hydrogen peroxide so that light cannot pass through the bottle and the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide could be avoided.
