Assignment 3:

2. What is the fundamental principle in electroplating? Can you also explain instrumentation
required to perform the experiment and how it works?
The fundamental principle in electroplating is the reduction and oxidation of elements.
Reduction occurs when an element gains electron, while oxidation occurs when an element
loses electron. In order to perform electroplating, we need a metal to be plated and a metal
plating it to act as electrodes, an electrolyte which contains a salt of the metal plating, a
battery as a source of electricity, wires to connect all the apparatus, and a beaker to house the
cell. Some instruments may be used here to monitor the process, such as a potentiostat to
control the voltage in an electrode, or a galvanostat to keep the current through an electrolytic
cell.
This experiment works by utilising the oxidation and reduction of the element that is going to
be the metal plating. In the cell, it is going to act as an anode (positive electrode), which
means that it is going to be oxidised, releasing its ions which will travel through the
electrolyte. When it comes into contact with the object that we are going to plate (the cathode
(negative electrode)), it is going to be reduced to its metal form, thus plating the metal. Due to
this constant oxidation and reduction, this process will continue indefinitely until the battery
dies or all of the anode is used up.
3. Make an example of calculation in electroplating experiment using nickel. Describe clearly
each term in Faradays Law that you use.
We are going to electroplate a steel spoon with nickel. Using an electrolyte of NiCl2, a current
of 0.750A, and a duration of 5 minutes, calculate the mass of the nickel plating the steel
spoon at the end of the experiment. (Mr of Ni is 59gr/mol)
Reduction: Ni2+ + 2e- Ni
So we use
Where W
Mr
Val
i
t
1F

W=

Mr
it
59 0.750 300

=
=0.069 grams
Val 96485 2
96485

= Mass of metal plating (gr)

= Molar Mass of metal plating (gr/mol)
= Valency of metal plating
= Current (A)
= Time (Seconds)
= 96485 Coulombs