The average oxidation state of chlorine in bleaching powder is

Options

A. -1
B. `+1`
C. Zero
D. `-2" as well as "+2`

Answer

To find the average oxidation state of chlorine in bleaching powder (Ca(OCl)2), we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Identify the chemical formula
The chemical formula for bleaching powder is Ca(OCl)2, which consists of calcium (Ca), oxygen (O), and chlorine (Cl).

### Step 2: Assign oxidation states to known elements
- Calcium (Ca) typically has an oxidation state of +2.
- Oxygen (O) typically has an oxidation state of -2.

### Step 3: Set up the equation for the oxidation states
Let the oxidation state of chlorine be represented by \( x \). In the formula Ca(OCl)2, there are two chlorine atoms. Therefore, we can express the total oxidation states as follows:

\[ \text{Total oxidation state} = \text{oxidation state of Ca} + \text{oxidation state of O} + \text{oxidation state of Cl} \]

This can be written as:

\[ +2 + (-2) + 2x = 0 \]

### Step 4: Solve for x
Now, we can simplify the equation:

\[ +2 - 2 + 2x = 0 \]
\[ 2x = 0 \]
\[ x = 0 \]

### Step 5: Calculate the average oxidation state of chlorine
Since there are two chlorine atoms, we can find the average oxidation state of chlorine:

\[ \text{Average oxidation state of Cl} = \frac{(+1) + (-1)}{2} = \frac{0}{2} = 0 \]

### Conclusion
The average oxidation state of chlorine in bleaching powder (Ca(OCl)2) is 0.

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