Calcium Hypochlorite Flakes

[09659]

What are the flakes that float to the surface after adding calcium hypochlorite?

 

[BoDarville]

Very likely calcium flakes.

 

[09659]

The density of:
-water is 1.00 g/cm³.
-calcium is 1.55 g/cm³.
-calcium hypochlorite is 2.35 g/cm³.
-lead is 11.34 g/cm³.

 

[jblizzle]

If it is really just a powder, could be stuck in the surface tension regardless of the density.

 

[09659]

But it sinks then floats back up

 

[jblizzle]

Oh. That is odd. Stuck to small air bubbles?

 

[JasonLion]

Flakes like that are most commonly calcium flakes that come off of SWG cell plates. The cell if full of tiny bubbles. They might well float for a time.

 

[chem geek]

Calcium hypochlorite in granular form is not crystalline calcium hypochlorite. As described in this link the bulk density is 64 pounds per cubic foot which is equivalent to 1.025 g/ml so roughly the same as water, but of course that includes the air gaps in between granules. Nevertheless, the granules are not crystalline calcium hypochlorite but are rather compressed from fine powder so that they dissolve more readily. Such compression traps air inside the flakes so that they are only somewhat denser than water and some might be less dense and float to the surface until they dissolve. Of course, any granules on the surface can remain there from surface tension of the water even if they are denser than water, but the ones that float back up most likely have enough air in the granules and possibly on their surface to be able to float back to the water's surface.