When a small amount of HCl is added to an aqueous solution of `BiCl_3` , a white precipitate is formed. This is due to formation of

Options

A. `Bi(OH)_3`
B. `Bi_2O_3`
C. `BiOCl`
D. None of the above

Answer

To solve the question regarding the formation of a white precipitate when HCl is added to an aqueous solution of BiCl₃, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Identify the Reactants
We have two reactants in this scenario:
- Aqueous solution of BiCl₃ (Bismuth(III) chloride)
- HCl (Hydrochloric acid)

### Step 2: Understand the Reaction
When HCl is added to the BiCl₃ solution, we need to consider the chemical reactions that may occur. BiCl₃ is soluble in water, but under acidic conditions, it can react to form a precipitate.

### Step 3: Write the Reaction
The reaction can be represented as follows:
\[ \text{BiCl}_3 + \text{H}_2\text{O} \rightarrow \text{BiOCl} + 2\text{HCl} \]

In this reaction, Bismuth(III) chloride reacts with water to form Bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl) and hydrochloric acid.

### Step 4: Identify the Precipitate
The product BiOCl is known to be a white precipitate. Therefore, when HCl is added to the BiCl₃ solution, the formation of BiOCl leads to the observed white precipitate.

### Step 5: Conclusion
The white precipitate formed upon the addition of HCl to BiCl₃ is due to the formation of BiOCl.

### Final Answer
The white precipitate is due to the formation of **BiOCl**.

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