Professional Documents
Culture Documents
CHEMISTRY FORM 4
CHAPTER 6 : ELECTROCHEMISTRY
Study Smart
www.studysmart.page.tl
Example : Electrolysis of lead(II) bromide, PbBr2
a) Lead(II) Bromide, PbBr2 is an ionic compound
PbBr2 Pb2+ + 2Br-
b) The positive Lead(II) in Pb2+ are attracted to cathode and undergo discharge whereby each of
the ions accepts two electron to form an atom. The half equation below summarized the
process.
Pb2+ + 2e Pb
c) The negative Bromide ions, Br- are attracted to the anode and undergo discharge, whereby
each of the ionic accepts an electron to form a neutral bromide atom.
Br- Br + e
Two bromine atoms combine to form a bromine gas
Br + Br Br2 or
2Br- Br2 + 2e
d) The overall equation for electrolysis of PbBr2 ,
Cathode : Pb2+ + 2e Pb
Anode : 2Br- Br2 + 2e
Overall equation : Pb2+ + 2Br- Pb + Br2
TRY THIS 1
Complete the chart below
Study Smart
www.studysmart.page.tl
TRY THIS 2 TRY THIS 3
Complete the chart below Complete the chart below
Study Smart
www.studysmart.page.tl
6.3 ANALYSING THE ELECTROLYSIS OF AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
In an aqueous solution, water will dissociate partially to form hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions.
H2O H+ + OH-
Example : Copper(II) Sulphate, CuSO4 consist of copper(II) ions, Cu2+, Sulphate ion SO42-,
hydrogen ion, H+ and hydroxide ion, OH-
CuSO4 Cu2+ + SO42-
H2O H+ + OH-
There are three factors that may influence the selective discharge of ion during the electrolysis
of an aqueous solution.
Position of ions in the electrochemical series
Concentration of ions in the electrolysis
Types of electrodes used in the electrolysis
Position of ions in the electrochemical series
The ions that are lower in the electrochemical series will be selectively discharge
TRY THIS 4
Select the ion to be discharged from the following pairs of ions. State at which electrode it occurs and
write the half equation for the discharge of ion
a) Hydroxide ion & Chloride Ion : Equation : ______________________________ at the __________
a) Hydroxide ion & Nitrate ion : Equation : ______________________________ at the __________
a) Hydroxide ion & Copper(II) ion : Equation : ______________________________ at the __________
a) Hydroxide ion & Pottasium Ion : Equation : ______________________________ at the __________
a) Hydroxide ion & Silver ion : Equation : ______________________________ at the __________
Study Smart
www.studysmart.page.tl
TRY THIS 5
Complete the following table for the electrolysis of 0.1 moldm-3 sodium nitrate solution using carbon
electrode.
Set up of apparatus
ANODE CATHODE
Write the formulae of ions that
are attracted to the anode and
cathode.
Observation
Study Smart
www.studysmart.page.tl
TRY THIS 6
Complete the following table for the electrolysis of 0.001 moldm-3 sulphuric acid using carbon electrode.
Set up of apparatus
ANODE CATHODE
Write the formulae of ions that
are attracted to the anode and
cathode.
Observation
Study Smart
www.studysmart.page.tl
TRY THIS 7
Complete the following table for the electrolysis of 0.1 moldm-3 copper(II) Sulphate solution using
carbon electrode.
Set up of apparatus
ANODE CATHODE
Write the formulae of ions that
are attracted to the anode and
cathode.
Observation
Study Smart
www.studysmart.page.tl
Electrolyte concentration factor
When electrolysis is carried out using inert electrodes and concentrated solutions, ions that are
more concentrated will be discharged but this only true for halides ions which are Cl-, Br-, and I-
TRY THIS 8
State the selected ions to be discharged at the anode and cathode for the following concentrated
solution.
a) Concentrated hydrochloric acid solution, using carbon electrode
Study Smart
www.studysmart.page.tl
TRY THIS 10
Complete the following table for the electrolysis of 2.0 moldm-3 sodium iodide solution using carbon
electrode.
Set up of apparatus
ANODE CATHODE
Write the formulae of ions that
are attracted to the anode and
cathode.
Name of the product at anode
and cathode
Observation
Types of electrode
There are 2 types of electrode
- Inert electrode An electrode that are acts as conductor only and does not undergo any
chemical changes. Normally they are made of carbon or platinum.
- Reactive electrode – An electrode that not only acts as conductor but undergoes chemical
changes. During the electrolysis, the metal anode will dissolve while the reaction at the
cathode is similar to the reaction at the carbon electrode. The consist of metal electrodes such
as copper, silver and nickel.
Study Smart
www.studysmart.page.tl
TRY THIS 11
Complete the following table for the electrolysis of 1.0 moldm-3 copper(II) Sulphate solutin, using
carbon electrode and copper electrode.
Set up of apparatus
10
Study Smart
www.studysmart.page.tl
A) EXTRACTION OF METALS
ANODE :______________________________________________________________________
CATHODE :____________________________________________________________________
B) PURIFICATION OF METALS
11
Study Smart
www.studysmart.page.tl
Overall Change
There is no change in solution contents as for every loss of Cu2+ ions at cathode is replaced by
Cu2+ ions released by dissolving anode. Only the cathode increases size by gaining copper and
anode decreases size by losing copper. We can use this method to create pure copper on
cathode by using pure copper on cathode and impure copper on anode. Impurities of anode fall
under it.
C) ELECTROPLATING OF METALS
Electroplating is coating an object with thin layer of metal by electrolysis. This makes the object
protected and more attractive
Object to be plated is made to be cathode and the plating metal is made as anode. The
electrolyte MUST contain plating metal cation.
Half equation that occur at
12
Study Smart
www.studysmart.page.tl
6.5 ANALYSING VOLTAIC CELL
The changes of energy of a voltaic cells
CHEMICAL ENERGY ELECTRICAL ENERGY
A simple voltaic cell can be made by using 2 different metals as electrode immersed to an
electrolyte.
Example
Overall Equation
Mg Mg2+ + 2e
2H+ + 2e H2 .
Mg + 2H+ Mg2+ + H2
* Daniel Cell is an example of voltaic cell that used zinc and copper as electrodes and immersed
into a solution of its ions.
* The two solution are connected through a salt bridge or porous pot
13
Study Smart
www.studysmart.page.tl
6.6 SYNTHESISING ELECTROCHEMICAL SERIES
In the electrochemical series, metals are arranged according to the tendency of their atoms to
donate electrons
The higher the position of a metal in the electrochemical series, the greater the tendency of the
metal atoms to donate electron. Thus, the more electropositive the metal.
K
Na More electropositive
Ca (Ease of releasing of electron
Mg increase)
Al
Zn
Fe
Sn
Pb
H
Cu
Ag Least electropositive
Au
The electrochemical series can be constructed based on:
- The potential difference between two metals
- The ability of a metal to displace other metal
14
Study Smart
www.studysmart.page.tl