Bleaching powder is a mixture of

Options

A. Calcium hypochlorite and calcium chloride
B. Calcium chlorate and calcium chloride
C. Calcium hypochlorite and basic calcium chloride
D. Calcium chlorate and calcium hydroxide

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Understanding Bleaching Powder**: Bleaching powder is commonly known as calcium oxychloride. Its chemical formula is Ca(OCl)₂.

2. **Formation of Bleaching Powder**: Bleaching powder is produced by the reaction of chlorine gas with calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)₂). The reaction can be represented as:
\[ \text{Ca(OH)}_2 + \text{Cl}_2 \rightarrow \text{Ca(OCl)}_2 + \text{H}_2\text{O} \]

3. **Composition of Bleaching Powder**: Bleaching powder consists of calcium hypochlorite (Ca(OCl)₂) and may also contain calcium chloride (CaCl₂) as a byproduct.

4. **Identifying the Components**:
- Calcium hypochlorite (Ca(OCl)₂) is the active bleaching agent.
- Calcium chloride (CaCl₂) is a basic compound that may be present due to the reaction with calcium hydroxide.

5. **Conclusion**: Therefore, bleaching powder is a mixture of calcium hypochlorite (Ca(OCl)₂) and calcium chloride (CaCl₂).

6. **Final Answer**: The correct option is that bleaching powder is a mixture of calcium hypochlorite and basic calcium chloride.

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