Bleaching Powder Formula with solved examples

Bleaching Powder Formula

Small Description: Bleaching powder which is popularly labelled as Calcium hypochlorite is a commonly used inorganic powder for sterilisation. 

What is Bleaching Powder?

Bleaching powder is spelt as Calcium hypochlorite, which is its chemical name. It is a pale yellow powder which is represented by the molecular formula Ca(OCl)2. Calcium Hypochlorite has a significant action as a disinfectant and sterilising agent. It is an inorganic powder-like substance which possesses a high commercial demand. In the late 1800s, Charles Macintosh and Charles Tennant created and synthesised an industrial manufacturing process for producing chloride of lime, which is the Bleaching powder. From the initial synthesis to date, Bleaching powder is widely being used in various sectors for myriads of purposes.

The formula for Bleaching Powder

Bleaching powder or Calcium hypochlorite is manufactured in the production industry by curing or treating lime in the presence of chlorine gas. The concentration of the substrates Chlorine and Lime is altered based on the required concentration of the product Calcium hypochlorite.

2Cl2 +  2Ca(OH)2 → CaCl2 + Ca(OCl)2 + 2H2O

Here,

• Cl2 stands for Chlorine.
• Ca(OH)2 stands for Calcium Hydroxide.
• CaCl2 refers to Calcium Chloride.
• Ca(OCl)2 represents Bleaching powder.
• H2O signifies water.

Uses of Bleaching Powder:

Bleaching powder is used in various places for multiple purposes, Some of them are:

• Used in sterilising and disinfecting drinking water.
• Used in cleaning swimming pools.
• Added along roads to maintain proper sanitation.
• Used against microbial contamination.
• Used in laboratories as chemical agents.
• Used to treat industrial effluents.
• Used for various household purposes, especially cleaning.
• Helps to clean and sterilise huge industrial vessels.
• Used in medical equipment sterilisation.

Solved examples of Bleaching Powder

Here are a few solved examples of Bleaching powder:

Problem1: How many moles of Bleaching powder can be produced if 10 moles of Chlorine react with 10 moles of Calcium Hydroxide?

Solution:

5 moles of Bleaching powder can be produced if 10 moles of Chlorine react with 10 moles of Calcium Hydroxide. 

The general equation for bleaching powder is:

2Cl2 +  2Ca(OH)2 → CaCl2 + Ca(OCl)2 + 2H2O

Therefore, if 10 moles of Chlorine react with 10 moles of Calcium Hydroxide, the reaction can be exemplified as follows:

10Cl2 +  10Ca(OH)2 → 5CaCl2 + 5Ca(OCl)2 + 10H2O