Sodium hypochlorite

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/sodium-hypochlorite

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the chemical formula?NaOCl
2. What is the anhydrous state?Unstable, may decompose explosively
3. How does bleach clean and kill germs?In water it turns into a tiny acid called hypochlorous acid that attacks germs' cells, breaking them down so they die. The bleach also breaks color molecules in stains into colorless pieces.
4. Why is bleach usually pale greenish‑yellow?The liquid we use for cleaning is a dilute solution of sodium hypochlorite, which naturally looks pale greenish‑yellow.

Inorganic Compound: A chemical substance lacking carbon-hydrogen bonds, often derived from mineral sources.
Oxidizing Agent: A substance that readily accepts electrons from another substance, causing oxidation.
Chromophore: The part of a molecule responsible for its color, which can be altered by bleaching.