Properties and uses bleaching powder:
- Bleaching powder is a yellowish-white coloured solid substance.
- Its chemical name is Calcium oxychloride.
- It has a strong odour of chlorine gas.
- It is used for disinfection of drinking water at the water works and the water in the swimming pool.
- It is used for bleaching of cloth.
- It is used for disinfection by the road side and garbage sites.
- Dilute sulphuric acid and dilute hydrochloric acid react rapidly with bleaching powder to release chlorine gas completely.
CaOCl2 + H2SO4 → CaSO4 + Cl2 ↑ + H2O
CaOCl2 + 2HCl → CaCl2 + Cl2 ↑ + H2O
- Calcium oxychloride reacts slowly with carbon dioxide to form calcium carbonate and chlorine.
CaOCl2 + CO2 → CaCO3 + Cl2 ↑