Question

Choose the correct answer from the alternative given. Most commonly used bleaching agent is _________.
A. Alcohol
B. Carbon dioxide
C. Chlorine
D. Sodium chloride

Answer 1

Hint: Chemical name of a bleaching agent is calcium hypochlorite. Various bleach chemicals are oxidizing agents.

Complete step-by-step answer:
Bleaching agents are compounds which are used to remove colour from substances such as textiles. A bleaching agent is a material that lightens or whitens a substrate through the chemical reaction. The most commercial bleaches are oxidizing agents, such as sodium hypochlorite(\[NaOCl\]) or hydrogen peroxide(\[{{H}_{2}}{{O}_{2}}\]) which are quite effective in “decolorizing” substances via oxidation.
Chlorine is the most commonly used bleaching agent because it is less vigorous and thus less effective than oxidizing agents. In solution it is more commonly used to wash out debris left from bleaching agent oxidation and neutralize residual oxidation chemicals. Chlorine bleaches by the process of oxidation. It needs moisture for its bleaching action.
 Here, is the bleaching reaction of chlorine:
\[C{{l}_{2}}+{{H}_{2}}O\to HCl+HClO\]
And,
\[HClO\to HCl+[O]\]
Nascent oxygen is a more powerful oxidising agent. Its formation is responsible for the bleaching nature of chlorine in the presence of moisture.
Mixing of alcohol and bleach is not a good idea, as the combination results in chloroform which is harmful. Sodium chloride thickens and stabilizes the bleaching solution of clorox.

Note: Other than chlorine the most common bleaching agents are compounds of chlorine (such as sodium hypochlorite) and the peroxygen bleaching agents such as hydrogen peroxide and sodium perborate.