(a) The compound of calcium which is a yellowish white powder and is used for disinfecting drinking water is CaOCl2 commonly known as bleaching powder.
Its chemical name is – Calcium oxychloride
Formula - CaOCl2
Formation of bleaching powder.
When chlorine gas is allowed to pass through the slaked lime solution leads to the formation of bleaching powder. The chemical equation for the reaction involved is: -
Ca(OH)2 + Cl2→ CaOCl2 + H2O
Two other uses of the compound are:-
1. It is used as an oxidising agent in many chemical industries.
2. It is used for bleaching cotton and linen in the textile industry, wood pulp bleaching and for bleaching washed clothes in the laundry.
(b) The balanced chemical equation of chlor-alkali process is: -
2NaCl (aq) +2H2O (l) → 2NaOH (aq) + Cl2 (g) + H2 (g)