Which poisonous industrial gas leaked during the Bhopal Gas Tragedy in December 1984 in India, causing widespread deaths and long term health damage?

Introduction / Context:
The Bhopal Gas Tragedy of December 1984 is one of the worst industrial disasters in history. It occurred in Bhopal, India, and involved the accidental release of a highly toxic industrial gas from a pesticide plant. This question tests knowledge of environmental chemistry and industrial safety by asking which specific gas leaked during this tragedy. Remembering the name of the gas helps link chemical hazards to real world consequences.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The disaster occurred in December 1984 in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
• The leak happened at a pesticide manufacturing plant.
• The gas was used as an intermediate chemical in the production of certain carbamate pesticides.
• The gas was extremely toxic, volatile, and dangerous when inhaled.

Concept / Approach:
The pesticide plant involved in the Bhopal disaster stored large quantities of methyl isocyanate, often abbreviated as MIC. Methyl isocyanate is a reactive and highly poisonous chemical used to manufacture carbamate pesticides. Due to poor maintenance and safety failures, water entered a storage tank containing MIC, leading to a runaway reaction and the release of a massive cloud of this gas over the nearby densely populated areas. By recalling this well documented incident, we can identify methyl isocyanate as the gas that leaked during the Bhopal Gas Tragedy.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Accounts of the Bhopal disaster consistently mention methyl isocyanate as the gas involved. MIC is known for its low boiling point, high volatility, and extreme toxicity. In Bhopal, thousands of people died within hours due to exposure, and many more suffered long term health effects such as respiratory problems, eye damage, and birth defects. Official reports, textbooks on environmental chemistry, and case studies on industrial safety all confirm that methyl isocyanate was the chemical released, not other similarly named compounds.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Methyl isochlorate: A different compound name that is not historically linked with the Bhopal incident.
• Methyl phosphate: This name suggests a phosphorus containing compound and does not match the known gas involved.
• Methyl isopropate: This is not the standard name for the chemical used in the tragedy and is not the gas that leaked.
• Methyl carbamate: Related to carbamate pesticides but not the specific toxic gas that escaped in Bhopal.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse similar sounding chemical names, especially when they share the methyl prefix. Another mistake is to focus only on the trade names of pesticides rather than the intermediate chemicals used in their production. To avoid confusion, remember that the Bhopal Gas Tragedy is specifically associated with methyl isocyanate, often abbreviated as MIC. Recognising the importance of proper storage and handling of such hazardous chemicals is also a key learning point from this event.

Final Answer:
The poisonous gas that leaked in the Bhopal Gas Tragedy was Methyl isocyanate.