Question

The oxidation number(s) of individual chlorine atoms in CaOCl2(bleaching powder) is/are:

Answer 1

Answer:

Calcium hypochlorite is the chemical term for bleaching powder, and its chemical formula is Ca(OCl)2, although it only functions as a bleaching agent in aqueous solution.

Cl2 gas is dissolved in limewater to produce calcium hypochlorite.

Explanation:

1. 2 Cl2 + 2 Ca(OH)2 → Ca(OCl)2 + CaCl2 + 2 H2O
2. (Hypochlorite of calcium)
3. This calcium hypochlorite, on the other hand, is latent and only acts as a bleaching agent in the presence of H2O to produce nascent oxygen.
4. Dormant bleaching agent structure

• Ca++ (OCl) (ClO)
• Only one hypochlorite ion is stable in aqueous media, while the other decomposes to yield nascent oxygen and chloride ion.
• H2O + Cl + [O] OCl + H2O H2O + Cl + [O]
• Ca(OCl)Cl + H2O2 = Ca(OCl)Cl + H2O2 = Ca(OCl)Cl + H2O2 = Ca(OCl)Cl + H2O2 = Ca(OCl)Cl + H (Active bleaching agent)
• H2O2 H2O + [O] H2O2 H2O2 H2O2 H2O2 H2O2 H2
• By oxidation, this nascent oxygen bleaches coloured substances.
• As a result, we just need to determine the oxidation state of the Cl atom in the active bleaching agent as follows:
• Let O.S. of Cl be x and O.S. of Cl in OCl be y. Because Ca is bivalent, x = -1 and y + 2*(-1) = -1 and y = +1.
• As a result, the desirable bleaching powder oxidation states are (-1) and (+1).