Question

Chlorine water reacts as strong oxidiser due to formation of:

• A. nascent oxygen
• B. nascent chlorine
• C. both of them
• D. none of them

Answer 1

The correct option is A nascent oxygen

Chlorine reacts with water to form hydrochloric and hypochlorous acids.

Cl2 + H2O ——→ HCl + HClO

Hypochlorous acid is unstable, and it easily dissociates to form nascent oxygen.

HClO ——→ HCl + [O]

Nascent oxygen is a more powerful oxidizing agent. Its formation is responsible for the bleaching nature of chlorine in the presence of moisture.