Structure
Sodium hypochlorite is an ionic structure built from a sodium ion (Na+) and a hypochlorite ion (OCl-). The bond between the oxygen and chlorine is covalent (it shares electrons), but the bond between the hypochlorite ion and sodium ion is a 1:1 ionic bond. Although the 3-d diagram below doesn't show it, actual sodium hypochlorite is composed with a lattice structure.
| Percent Composition (by number): | Sodium: 33.3% Oxygen: 33.3% Chlorine: 33.3% |
| Percent Composition (by mass): | Sodium: 30.9% Oxygen: 21.5% Chlorine: 47.7% |