Question

The bleaching action of chlorine is an oxidation reaction. Why?

Answer 1

Chlorine bleaches by the process of oxidation. It needs moisture for its bleaching action.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 oxidising agent. Its formation is responsible for the bleaching nature of chlorine in the presence of moisture.