Question

The chemical formula of bleaching powder is…….

Answer 1

The chemical formula of bleaching powder is $\mathrm{Ca}{\left(\mathrm{OCl}\right)}_2$

Bleaching powder:

• Bleaching powder is a pale yellowish powder existing with a strong smell of chlorine.
• It is soluble in water but due to the presence of impurities, we never observe a clear solution.
• Its chemical formula is its chemical name Calcium hypochlorite.

Preparation of bleaching powder:

Bleaching powder is synthesized by the action of chlorine gas (produced from the chlor-alkali process) on dry slaked lime(Ca(OH)₂). The chemical equation is as follows:

$$\begin{gathered} 2\mathrm{Ca}{\left(\mathrm{OH}\right)}_2+2{\mathrm{Cl}}_2\to \mathrm{Ca}{\left(\mathrm{OCl}\right)}_2+{\mathrm{CaCl}}_2+2{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O} \\ \mathrm{Slaked}\mathrm{lime}\mathrm{Bleaching}\mathrm{powder} \end{gathered}$$

Uses of bleaching powder:

• It is used for bleaching dirty clothes in the laundry, and as a bleaching agent for cotton and linen in the textile industry.
• It is a strong oxidizing agent, hence used as an oxidizer in many industries.
• It is used as a disinfectant which is used for disinfecting water to make potable water.