ELECTROLYSIS

GENERAL CHEMISTRY 2
4th Quarter
FOREWORD
The use of electric current to stimulate a non-spontaneous
reaction. Electrolysis can be used to separate a substance
into its original components/elements and it was through this
process that a number of elements have been discovered and
are still produced in today’s industry. In Electrolysis, an electric
current it sent through an electrolyte and into solution in order
to stimulate the flow of ions necessary to run an otherwise non-
spontaneous reaction. Processes involving electrolysis include:
electro-refining, electro-synthesis, and the chloro alkali process.

OBJECTIVES:
1. Identify the factors affecting electrolysis
2. Determine the reactions in commercial electrolytic processes

LEARNING COMPETENCIES:
1. Explain the electrode reactions during electrolysis (STEM_
GC11AB-IVf-g-182)
2. Describe the reactions in some commercial electrolytic
processes (STEM_GC11AB-IVf-g-183)
What happened?
Do you wonder how aluminum, sodium and magnesium
are produced? These are metals that we use in our
daily lives. What is the process of attaining these metals
also the purification of other metals like copper, gold
and silver?

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Shell’s Rhineland Refinery: World’s largest Hydrogen Electrolysisi
Source Image: http://www.itm-power.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/refinary-pix.jpg

Electrolysis

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Electrolysis is the use of an electric current through an electrolyte

to create a non-spontaneous chemical reaction. When we electrolyze
water by passing an electric current through it, we can separate it into
hydrogen and oxygen.

2H2O(l)→2H2(g)+O2(g)

An electrolytic cell is essentially the non-spontaneous reaction’s

voltaic cell. Electrolytic cells consist of two, and an electrolyte. Unlike
a voltaic cell, reactions using electrolytic cells must be electrically
induced and its anode and cathode are reversed (anode on the left,
cathode one the right).

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Factors affecting electrolysis reactions

1. Over potential - The generated voltage is significantly higher

than expected. An over potential may be necessary to
overcome interactions taking place on the electrode itself
(especially for gasses).

2. Electrode Type - An inert electrode acts as a surface for a
reaction to occur on and is not involved in the chemical
reaction whereas an active electrode becomes a part of the
half reaction.

3. Simultaneous Electrode Reactions - If two different pairs of half-
reactions take place at once. Some half reactions should be
eliminated in order to determine a single pair of half reactions
best suited for the electrolysis to occur.

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 4. The state of reactants - if reactants are in nonstandard states,
the voltage of half cells may differ from that of the standard
amount. In this case, the solution for the anode half-cell may
have a pH that is either higher or lower than the standard pH of

Application:

1. Electrorefining - the anode is the impure metal and any

impurities are removed during the process of electrolysis when
the metal travels from anode to cathode. During the electro
refining of metals, the cathode has a decomposition of pure
metals from a solution containing the metal ion.

2. Electrosynthesis - a method which uses electrolysis reactions
to produce certain products. For example MnO2 needs to
undergo electrolysis in order to be used for alkaline batteries.
The solution for the electro synthesis of MnO2is MnSO4in H2SO4.

3. Chloro-Alkali Process - a method which uses electrolysis
reactions to produce certain products. There are 3 different
methods in which these two components are produced:
membrane cell, diaphragm cell, and mercury cell process.

a. Mercury Cell Process - Electrolysis of seawater in a mercury

cell leads to the production of chlorine and sodium hydroxide
at the same time. The mercury attracts either sodium or
potassium cations or the mercury forms an amalgam with it.
However when the amalgam is introduced to water it forms
sodium hydroxide and hydrogen leaving the mercury to be
reused later.

b. Diaphragm Cell Process - The diaphragm cell has Cl2 being

released from the anode section, while there is H2 being
released from the cathode section. If Cl2 manages to mix
with NaOH, the Cl turns into other products.

c. Membrane Cell Process - This process is more efficient than

others as it does not use mercury and does not require
a significant amount of energy. This membrane allows
hydrated cations to pass in between the anode and cathode
compartments, but does not allow the backflow of the ions,
Cl- and OH-.
ACTIVITY NO. 1

Identify the following if it is a property of a Voltaic Cell or an

Electrolytic Cell.

___________1. Oxidation: X → X+ + e-
___________2. Reduction: X+ + e- → X
___________3. The reaction is non-spontaneous and will absorb
energy.
___________4. Overall: X + Y+→ X+ + Y (G<0)
___________5. Reduction: Y+ + e- → Y

ACTIVITY NO. 2
Identify the factors affecting electrolysis
__________1. If two different pairs of half-reactions take place at
once. Some half reactions should be eliminated in
order to determine a single pair of half reactions best
suited for the electrolysis to occur.
__________2. The generated voltage is significantly higher than
expected. An over potential may be necessary to
overcome interactions taking place on the electrode
itself.
__________3. The solution for the anode half-cell may have a pH
that is either higher or lower than the standard pH of
4 which may lead to a nonstandard voltage as well.
__________4. An inert electrode acts as a surface for a reaction to
occur on and is not involved in the chemical reaction
whereas an active electrode becomes a part of the
half reaction.

ACTIVITY NO. 3
Give 5 applications of electrolysis in today’s industry.
 WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED

1. What is electrolysis?
Answer: ____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________

2. How does an electrolytic cell differ from a voltaic cell? Explain?

Answer: ____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________

3. Which requires a higher voltage for electrolysis to occur? O2 (g)

or Sn (s).
Answer: ____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________

4. Where does reduction occur in a voltaic cell and an

electrolytic cell?
Answer: ____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________

ENRICHMENT EXERCISES

1. What is the generated voltage is significantly higher than expected.

A. Over potential
B. Electrode type
C. Simultaneous electrode reactions
D. The state of reactants

2. What is the process when the cathode has a decomposition of pure

metals from a solution containing the metal ion?
A. Electrosynthesis
B. Mercury Cell Process
C. Membrane Cell Process
D. Electrorefining

3. What is the method which uses electrolysis reactions to produce

certain products for example MnO2 to be used for alkaline batteries?

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 A. Electrosynthesis
B. Mercury Cell Process
C. Membrane Cell Process
D. Electrorefining

4. What is the use of an electric current through an electrolyte to create

a non-spontaneous chemical reaction?
A. Electrorefining
B. Electrolysis
C. Electrosynthesis
D. Electrolytic

5. What is the reaction present in an electrolytic cell that absorbs

energy?
A. spontaneous
B. non spontaneous
C. reversible
D. redox

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 KEY TO CORRECTION

What happened? What have you learned?

The extraction is of aluminum
done by electrolysis. The ions in the
aluminum oxide must be free to
move so that electricity can pass
through it. Aluminum oxide has a
very high melting point so it would
be expensive to melt it.
Activity 1:
1. Voltaic Cell
2. Electrolytic Cell
3. Electrolytic Cell
4. Voltaic Cell
5. Voltaic Cell
Activity 2:
1. Simultaneous electrode reactions
2. Over potential
3. The state of reactants
4. Electrode type
Activity 3:
1. Electro refining
2. Electro synthesis
3. Chloro-Alkali Process
4. Mercury Cell Process
5. Diaphragm Cell Process
1. Electrolysis is the use of an electric
current through an electrolyte
to create a non-spontaneous
chemical reaction.
2. Unlike the voltaic cell,
the electrolytic cell uses
electric energy for a non-
spontaneous reaction instead
of a spontaneous reaction.
The cathodes and anodes are
reversed from each other.
3. Oxygen requires a higher voltage
because it is a gas, whereas Sn is
in a solid state and requires less
voltage for electrolysis to occur.
4. Reduction occurs in the
cathode for the voltaic cell, while
reduction occurs in the cathode
for the electrolytic cell.
Self-Assessment:
1. A
2. D
3. A
4. B
5. B

References:

https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Analytical_Chemistry/Supplemental_Modules_
(Analytical_Chemistry)/Electrochemistry/Electrolytic_Cells/Electrolysis
Chemistry, Phoenix Publishing House, pp. 160 – 180
https://chem.libretexts.org/Ancillary_Materials/Demos%2C_Techniques%2C_and_Experi-
ments/Lecture_Demonstrations/Additional_Demos/The_Electrolysis_of_Water
https://www.corrosion-doctors.org/References/hydrogen.htm

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