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Question

What is the cause for the bleaching action of chlorine?

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Solution

Chlorine reacts with moisture and forms hydrochloric acid and hypochlorous acid.

Cl2+H2OHCl+HClO

Hypochlorous acid (HClO) is unstable, so it breaks down into HCl and nascent oxygen [O]

HClOHCl+[O]
The nascent oxygen is a powerful bleaching agent and is responsible for the bleaching action.

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