Exercise 8.

Question 1

Give the ion-electron equations for the reactions which occur at the carbon electrodes
when electricity is passed through the following electrolytes.
(a) molten silver bromide,
(b) dilute nitric acid,
(c) concentrated potassium iodide aqueous solution.

Question 2

An aluminium object with a surface area of 500.0 cm2 is to be anodized.

(a) (i) What is anodization.

(ii) Draw a diagram for the set-up of apparatus used.
(iii) Write the 2 half-equations for the reactions occurred.

(b) How many coulombs of electricity will be required to increase the aluminium
oxide layer by 1.0 x 10-3 cm in thickness? [ RAM Al=27; O=16; density of
Al2O3 = 4.0 g cm-3 ]
Answer

Question 1

Give the ion-electron equations for the reactions which occur at the carbon electrodes
when electricity is passed through the following electrolytes.

(a) molten silver bromide,

Anode: 2 Br−  Br2 + 2e

Cathode: Ag+ + e  Ag

(b) dilute nitric acid,

Anode: 4 OH−  O2 + H2O + 4e

or 2 H2O  O2 + 4 H+ + 4e

Cathode: 2 H+  H2 + 2e
or 2 H2O + 2 e  H2(g) + 2 OH−

(c) concentrated potassium iodide aqueous solution.

Anode: 2 I−  I2 + 2e

Cathode: 2 H+  H2 + 2e
or 2 H2O + 2 e  H2(g) + 2 OH−
Question 2

(a)(i) Anodisation (of aluminium) is an electrolytic process for producing an oxide

coatings to protect the aluminium from oxidation.

(a)(ii) * The following diagram is copied from internet.

 anode (aluminium object),

 cathode (carbon or any suitable metal)
 and electrolyte (dilute sulphuric acid)

(a)(iii)
Anode: 4 OH-  O2(g) + H2O(l) + 4e (1)
(or 2 H2O(l)  O2 + 4 H+ + 4e)
or 4 Al + 3 O2(g)  2 Al2O3(s) (2)

Cathode: 2 H+(aq)  H2(g) + 2e

(or 2 H2O + 2 e  H2(g) + 2 OH-(aq))

(b)

Volume of Al2O3 produced = surface area X thickness = 500.0 X 1.0X10-3 = 0.50 cm3

Mass of Al2O3 needed = density X volume = 4.0 X 0.50 = 2.0 g

Mol of Al2O3 = 2.0/102 = 0.020 mol

From equation (2),

2 mol Al  3 mol O2
0.020 mol Al  0.020/2 X 3 = 0.030 mol O2 required to oxidise Al

From equation (1),

1 mol O2  4F
0.030 mol O2 required = 4 x 0.030 = 0.12 F

Amount of electricity = 0.12 x 96500 = 11580 C