Electrolysis

 What
o It is the conduction of electricity by an electrolyte, an aqueous or molten ionic
compound, leading to the decomposition of the electrolyte
 Electrolysis of compounds
o Molten
 Evidence for the fact that ions are held in fixed position, in a lattice, when solid.
But mobile when molten or aqueous, as electricity is conducted
 Cations are attracted to the cathode (negative terminal) and get discharged, as
they receive electrons
 Anions are attracted to the anode (positive terminal) and get discharged, as they
lose electrons
 In electrolysis of a binary compound , ionic that only contain two elements, the
two ions present are discharged, forming a metal and non-metal
o Aqueous
 Contains two electrolytes, the aqueous ionic compound and water
 A metal or hydrogen is discharged at the cathode
 A non-metal is discharged at the anode
 Selective discharge (when using inert electrodes)
o Cations
 The least reactive metal ion gets preferentially discharged, as it gains electrons
more readily
o Anions
 Easiest to hardest: Hydroxide, halides, nitrates and sulphates.
o Concentration effect
 When a halide solution is concentrated, the halides get preferentially discharged
compared to hydroxide
 Purification
o Purification of copper.
 Set-up
 Pure copper cathode, impure copper anode
 Copper(II) sulphate electrolyte
 Observations
 Cathode increases in size, anode decreases
o Copper forms at cathode, becomes ion at anode
 No colour change
o No net change in concentration of copper(II) ions
 Impurities are deposited below the anode
 Electroplating
o It is the depositing a layer of metal on another substance using electrolysis

Nickolas Teo
 o Set-up
 Object at cathode, metal electrode at anode
 Suitable metal electrolyte
o Uses
 Copper plating
 Tin plating of food cans
 To prevent rusting
 Gold plating
 Aesthetics reasons
 Simple cells
o What
 It is a device that converts chemical energy to electrical energy
 Electrodes of different reactivity
 No source (battery)
o Electron flow
 The more reactive metal is the negative electrode and anode, hence electrons
flow more the more reactive to the less reactive
o Electrical energy produced
 The bigger the difference in reactivity, more electricity is produced

Nickolas Teo