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+ Chemical reactions
+ Chemistry
+ Calcium
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Mark Cascella

Is calcium hypochlorite an oxidizing agent?

Collince Becky  Follow

Ca(ClO)2. This is the chemical name of calcium hypochlorite.

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Anthony P Longhitano  Follow

Sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) can act as both an oxidizing agent and a reducing agent.

When the solution of sodium hypochlorite is heated, it undergoes disproportionation (self-redox) to become sodium chloride (reduction) and sodium chlorate (oxidation).
3NaClO(aq) → 2NaCl(aq) + NaClO₃(aq)
OR: 3ClO⁻(aq) → 2Cl⁻(aq) + ClO₃⁻(aq)

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Brittany Roma  Follow

Calcium hypochlorite is a toxic substance as is its sister Sodium hypochlorite. Both of these are bleach. The only difference is that Calcium hypochlorite doesn’t smell as much like bleach.

If you are intending to use this as a treatment for COVID-19, DON’T. It is poison. A vaccine is here NOW. There are treatments for patients who have COVID-19. Hang tight, help is almost at your door!

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Alexander Mathey  Follow

+1. Work it out like this with the oxidation states:

Ca always has +2 in its compounds;

O always has -2 (unless it is part of a peroxide or a superoxide, very rare).

The sum of the oxidation numbers in a neutral compound must always be zero, therefore you can set a simple, straightforward equation whose unknown value you will solve for is the oxidation number of Cl:

+2 + 2x + 2×(-2) = 0

x = +1

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Anussukee Wijegunarathna  Follow

Simply put, an oxidising agent is a substance that looks to remove electrons from the substance it is reacting with (i.e oxidise it/increase its oxidation state). A reducing agent by contrast looks to add electrons to its reactant (i.e reduce it/reduce its oxidation state). In each case, the opposite occurs to the agent itself (an oxidising agent is reduced and gains one or more electrons, a reducing agent is oxidised and loses one or more electrons).

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Aparna Kuppuramalingam  Follow

You might try sodium sulphite.

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Andrew Silverman  Follow

Yes. Chlorine is in the +1 oxidation state in the hypochlorite ion (ClO*-). Since the chlorine is easily reduced to the -1 state, the hypochlorite ion acts as an oxidizing agent (i.e., in order to be reduced, the chlorine in the +1 oxidation state must cause something to be oxidized).

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Cynthia Joy  Follow

Yes, in cold water it gives Ca+2, Cl-, OCl- ions.

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