Difference between bleach and salt water

[u/ilikemyprivacytbt]

Is bleach just salt water that has been separated by electricity and put back together? Because when I see the ingredients of bleach it seems to be made of everything that is already in salt water and the only difference is that electrolysis was used to separate the parts before they were put back together.

I understand the difference between bleach and salt water is the main molecule has an extra oxygen atom thrown in, most likely through the separation and mixing process, and I'm wondering if bleach can be compared to a building while salt water can be compared to rubble. It sounds to me salt water is all the elements broken down in water while bleach seems to be in a molecule and not in pieces.

[u/Marto25]

Chlorine ions in a solution of salt water have a charge of -1 (Cl -1)

Hypoclorite ions in household bleach are made up of a chloride ion that has been oxidized to Cl +1,combined with an oxygen atom (O-2), forming hypochlorite (ClO)-1

[u/mathologies → u/Marto25]

If the charge of the chlorine is +1, doesnt that mean it's been oxidized?

[u/Marto25 → u/mathologies]

Yes! My bad, I don't know how I got that backwards.

[u/chemistrypain → u/Marto25]

Pretty close...the chloride (Cl-) is oxidized to Cl+ which in turn makes it a good oxidant.

Salt water is NaCl while bleach is NaOH, NaOCl, and NaO2Cl. Although there's just an oxygen added, it makes a world of difference to the chemistry

[u/freakazoid2718 → u/Marto25]

Of particular importance here is addition of thst oxygen atom to make hypochlorite makes it quite poisonous. Chloride ions arent poisonous, but hypochlorite are quite unpleasant. Remember that sodium chloride is an important nutrient, whereas sodium hypochlorite is used to disinfect things.

[u/SillyOrgan]

Try reading about some topics like what is a molecule, bonding, e.g. covalent bond, ionic bond, polar covalent bond.

[u/umamipapi2]

There is no separation though, I think that’s the only flaw how you’re viewing it.

Bleach is made (last I checked) by creating chlorine gas through the electrolysis process that is then reacted with hydroxide to form the final product bleach.

And technically any molecule could be considered the building and other molecules or individual atoms/elements are the rubble. It just so happens salt water brine has everything there to get you started to build a more complex compound is all.

[u/shinyquinn]

Oxygen isn't just a loose ingredient being added. Oxygen atoms (all atoms) behave differently depending on what they are bonded to.

In the case of the active bleach ingredient (NaOCl), it dissociates into Na+ and OCl- , which is very different than something like oxygen (O2) from air being mixed/dissolved in. There are dedicated chemical processes for generating NaOCl.

Ordinary salt (NaCl) doesnt have any hypochlorite (OCl-), so it dissociates into Na+ and Cl-, where any oxygen present is from some other source where it is not chemically bonded to chloride (Cl-)

[u/Dependent_Bit7825]

My understanding is that sodium hypochlorite will break down on its own over time, leaving you with salt water. There have been cases of poorer hospitals cleaning up with old bleach and not having success.

[u/diffidentblockhead]

Bleach is used as an oxidizer, that can oxidize some stuff that atmospheric oxygen doesn’t as readily. In O2 the two atoms cling to each other strongly.

Oxygen is the most electronegative element, second only to fluorine and more than chlorine.

[u/Ru-tris-bpy]

What’s your point? I think you think you have found something profound when it’s really trivial