Oxidising and bleaching action: 
Chlorine is a strong oxidising and bleaching agent because of the nascent oxygen.
\({ H }_{ 2 }O+{ Cl }_{ 2 }\longrightarrow Hcl+\underset { Hypo\ chlorous \ acid }{ HOCl } \)
HOCI \(\longrightarrow \) HCI + (0)
Colouring matter + Nascent oxygen - 7 Colourless oxidation product.
The bleaching of chlorine is permanent. It oxidises ferrous salts to ferric, sulphites to sulphates and hydrogen sulphide to sulphur.
2FeCl₂ + Cl₂ \(\longrightarrow \) 2FeCl₃
Cl₂ + H₂O \(\longrightarrow \)HCI + HOCI
2FeSO₄ + H₂SO₄ + HOCI \(\longrightarrow \)Fe₂ (SO₄)₃ + HCI + H₂O
Overall reaction
2FeSO₄ + H₂SO₄ + Cl₂ \(\longrightarrow \) Fe₂(SO₄)₃ + 2HCI
Cl₂ + H₂O \(\longrightarrow \) HCI + HOCI
Na₂SO₃ + HOCI\(\longrightarrow \) Na₂SO₄ + HCI
Overall reaction
Na₂SO₃ + H₂O+Cl₂ \(\longrightarrow \) Na₂SO₄ + 2HCI
Cl₂ + H₂S\(\longrightarrow \)2HCI + S

(i) When a solution of brine (NaCl) is electrolysed, Na⁺ and Cl ions are formed.
(ii) Na⁺ ion reacts with OH^- ions of water and forms sodium hydroxide. Hydrogen and chlorine are liberated as gases.
NaCI \(\longrightarrow \) Na⁺ + CI^-1
H₂O \(\longrightarrow \) H⁺ + OH^-
Na⁺ + OH^- \(\longrightarrow \) NaOH
At the cathode,
H⁺ + e^- \(\longrightarrow \) H
H + H\(\longrightarrow \)H₂
At the anode,
Cl^- \(\longrightarrow \) CI + e^-
CI + CI \(\longrightarrow \) Cl₂

Reaction with metals:
(i) Sulphuric acid reacts with metals and gives different product depending on the reactants and reacting condition
(ii) Dilute sulphuric acid reacts with metals like: tin, aluminium, zinc to give corresponding: sulphates.
Zn + H₂SO₄\(\longrightarrow \) ZnSO₄ + H₂ \(\uparrow \)
2AI + 3H₂SO₄ \(\longrightarrow \) Al₂(SO₄)₃+ 3H₂ \(\uparrow \)
(iii) Hot concentrated sulphuric acid reacts with copper and lead to give the respective sulphates as shown below 
Cu + 2H₂SO₄ \(\longrightarrow \) CuSO₄ + 2H₂O + SO₂\(\uparrow \)
Pb + 2H₂SO₄ \(\longrightarrow \) PbSO₄ + 2H₂O + SO₂\(\uparrow \)
(iv) Sulphuric acid doesn't react with noble metals like gold, silver and platinum.

Oxidising property of H₂SO₄: 
Sulphuric acid is an oxidising agent as it produces nascent oxygen as shown below.
\({ H }_{ 2 }{ SO }_{ 4 }\longrightarrow { H }_{ 2 }O+\underset { nascentoxygen }{ { SO }_{ 2 } } +\left( O \right) \)
Sulphuric acid oxidises elements such as carbon, sulphur and phosphorus. It also oxides bromide and iodide to bromine and iodine respectively.
C + 2H₂SO₄ \(\longrightarrow \) 2SO₂ + 2H₂O + CO₂
S + 2H₂SO₄ \(\longrightarrow \) 3SO₂ + 2H₂O
P₄ + 10H₂SO₄ \(\longrightarrow \) 4H₃PO₄ + 10SO₂ + 4H₂O
H₂S + H₂SO₄ \(\longrightarrow \) SO₂ + 2H₂O + S
H₂SO₄ + 2HI \(\longrightarrow \) SO₂ + H₂O + I₂
H₂SO₄ + 2HBr \(\longrightarrow \) 2SO₂ + 2H₂O + Br₂

Oxidising property : 
Sulphur dioxide, oxidises hydrogen sulphide to sulphur and magnesium to magnesium oxide.
\({ 2H }_{ 2 }S+{ SO }_{ 2 }\longrightarrow 3S+{ 2H }_{ 2 }O\)
\(2Mg+{ SO }_{ 2 }\longrightarrow 2MgO+S\)
Reducing property : 
As it can readily be oxidised, it acts as a reducing agent. It reduces chlorine into hydrochloric acid.
\({ SO }_{ 2 }+2{ H }_{ 2 }O+{ { Cl }_{ 2 }\longrightarrow { H }_{ 2 }{ SO }_{ 4 }+2HCl }\)
It also reduces potassium permanganate and dichromate to Mn²⁺ and Cr³⁺ respectively.
\({ 2KMnO }_{ 4 }+5{ SO }_{ 2 }+2{ H }_{ 2 }O\longrightarrow { K }_{ 2 }{ SO }_{ 4 }+{ 2MnSO }_{ 4 }+2{ H }_{ 2 }{ SO }_{ 4 }\)
\({ K }_{ 2 }{ Cr }_{ 2 }{ O }_{ 7 }+{ 3SO }_{ 2 }+{ H }_{ 2 }{ SO }_{ 4 }\longrightarrow { K }_{ 2 }{ SO }_{ 4 }+{ Cr }_{ 2 }\left( SO_{ 4 } \right) _{ 3 }+{ H }_{ 2 }O\)