Chapter 5, Problem 56RQ

Chlorine is a good bleaching agent because it is able to oxidize substances that are colored to give colorless reaction products. It is used in the pulp and paper industry as a bleach, but after it has done its work, residual chlorine must he removed. This is accomplished using sodium thiosulfate, ${\text{Na}}_{\text{2}}{\text{S}}_{\text{2}}{\text{O}}_{\text{3}}$, which reacts with the chlorine, reducing it to chloride ion. The thiosulfate ion is changed to sulfate ion, which is easily removed by washing with water. Write a balanced chemical equation for the reaction of chlorine with thiosulfate ion, assuming an acidic solution.