Properties
Calcium hypochlorite is a yellow white solid which has a strong smell of chlorine. It is not highly soluble in water, and is more preferably used in soft to medium-hard water. It has two forms: a dry form and a hydrated form. The hydrated form is safer to handle.
Calcium hypochlorite reacts with carbon dioxide to form calcium carbonate and release dichlorine monoxide:
- .
A calcium hypochlorite solution is basic. This is due to the hydrolysis performed by the hypochlorite ion, as hypochlorous acid is weak, but calcium hydroxide is a strong base. As a result, the hypochlorite ion is a strong conjugate base, and the calcium ion is a weak conjugate acid:
- ClO− + H2O → HClO + OH−
Similarly, calcium hypochlorite reacts with hydrochloric acid to form calcium chloride, water and gaseous chlorine:
- Ca(OCl)2 + 4 HCl → CaCl2 + 2 H2O + 2 Cl2
Read more about this topic: Calcium Hypochlorite
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