SANSKRITI SCHOOL, PUNE

Class VIII, Science

Chapter 14. Chemical Effects of Electric Current

Conductors and insulators

Figure 1 Conductors and Insulators of Electricity

 A conductor is any material or substance that allows

electricity to flow through it.
 An insulator is any substance or material that prevents the
flow of electricity through it.

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 Any substance can be called as a conductor of electricity if it
allows movement of charges through it.

 The electrons of the conductors can flow freely (they are

delocalized) and hence can take electric current through them.

Figure 2 Delocalized Electrons in a

Conductor

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 Insulators do not allow the flow of charges through them
because their electrons are tightly packed with their particles.
 Some materials can allow a little flow of electricity through
them and are called poor conductors of electricity.
 Some materials can allow the complete flow of electricity
through them and are called good conductors of electricity.
 Every material may conduct electricity in certain situations.
For example, air is a bad conductor of electricity but in case
of thunderstorms and lightning it carries electric charges
through it. Hence, materials are always classifies as good and
poor conductors of electricity rather than conductors and
insulators.

Activity: Testing a potato

Can liquids conduct electricity?

 Not all liquids can conduct electricity. However, some of

them can be regarded as good conductors of electricity while

others as poor conductors of electricity.
 Water containing salts and minerals dissolved in it always

conduct electricity.

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 Distilled water which does not contain any salts cannot
conduct electricity.
 Any solution of acids or bases can also conduct electricity.

Figure 3 Liquids that are Poor and Good Conductors of

Electricity

How do liquids conduct electricity?

 Different substances when mixed in water and electricity is

passed through them can break apart and form positive and
negative particles or ions in the water.
 These ions can pass the electric current through them.

 The more is the number of ions in a liquid the better

conductor it is of electricity.
 That is why distilled water is a poor conductor of electricity

but salt water is a good conductor of electricity.

 However, many compounds do not form any ions on mixing

them with water and therefore they are poor conductors of

electricity such as sugar water, oil and alcohol.

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Figure 4 Setup to detect
if a liquid can conduct
electricity

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Activity: To test conductivity of different types of water

Activity:
To make a lemon battery To make a vinegar battery

Why LED bulbs are more suitable for testing the electrical
conductivity of liquids?
 The electric current often causes heating effect due to which

the filament of the bulb gets heated up and glows.

 However, some liquids are capable of conducting electricity

but they are weak conductors of electricity. Hence current

passes through them but it is not that strong enough to heat up

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 the filament. As a result, the filament would not light up in the
case of such liquids.
 However, the LED bulbs can detect the flow of even a small
amount of electric current as well. Hence, LED bulbs are
suitable for testing the electrical conductivity of liquids.


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A galvanometer can be used instead of LEDs to test electrical
conductivity.

A galvanometer is a device that detects electric current.

Whenever current flows through the circuit, a magnetic
compass needle shows deflection due to magnetic effect of
current.

Activity: To make a galvanometer

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What is electrolysis?
The effect in which components of a compound get split due to
passing an electric current through it is called electrolysis.

Figure 5 Electrolysis Process

What is an electrode?
An electrode is a conductor of electricity that can carry electric
current into non-metals and other poor conductors of electricity.
What is an electrolyte?
A solution that breaks into its ions on passing electricity through
it is called an electrolyte. Electrolytes are used in the process of
electroplating.
What are an anode and cathode?
The positively charged electrode is called anode and the
negatively charged electrode is called cathode.
What are anions and cations?
An anion is a negatively charged ion and a cation
is a positively charged ion.
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Physical effects of electric current
 Heating effect: electric current causes heating of the

electrical equipment. For example, the filament of a bulb gets

heated up due to electric current and therefore glows.
 Mechanical effect: electric current can lead to generation of

mechanical energy in appliances. For example, fans and

motors work due to this effect.
 Magnetic effect: electric current can give rise to the magnetic

field of a substance.
 Chemical effect: electric current can lead to the production of

chemical energy or chemical reactions.

Activity: Using pencil electrodes for electrolysis of water

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 In 1800, a British chemist, William Nicholson (1753–1815), had
shown that if electrodes were immersed in water, and a current was
passed, bubbles of oxygen and hydrogen were produced. Oxygen
bubbles formed on the electrode connected to the positive terminal
of the battery and hydrogen bubbles formed on the other electrode.

Chemical effects of electric current

We know that when an electric current passes through solution it
ionizes and breaks down into ions. This is because of chemical
reactions that take place when an electric current passes through
a solution. Depending on the nature of the solution and the
electrodes used, the following effects can be observed in the
solution:
1. metallic deposits on the electrodes
2. change in the colour of the solution
3. a release of gas or production of bubbles in the solution

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Applications of chemical effects of electric
current
Electroplating
 Electroplating is a process in which layer of metal is

deposited on another material with the help of electricity.

 Electroplating is used in many industries for depositing a

layer of metal with desired characteristics on another metal.

 Different metals used for electroplating are Nickel, Copper,

Gold Silver, Tin, Brass, Zinc, Chromium and Platinum.

Activity: Copper Electroplating

Process of electroplating
 In order to conduct electroplating right electrodes and

electrolytes must be chosen so that metal can deposit over a

material.
 For instance, if we want to deposit copper on a material we

need an electrolyte that contains copper in it. Similarly, if we

need gold on a material we need an electrolyte that contains
gold in it.
 Also, we should make sure that the electrode that we are

choosing is completely clean.

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 The electrodes used are made up of different materials. One
of the electrodes is of the same metal of which the electrolyte
solution is. The second electrode needs to be the material on
which we want to coat another metal.
 For instance, in case we want to plate copper upon brass, one
electrode should be of Copper and the other electrode should
be of Brass and the electrolyte solution should be any salt
which contains copper in it, for example, copper sulphate
solution. Consider the diagram given below that describes the
process of electroplating of copper.

Figure 6 Electroplating of copper on brass

 Out of these two electrodes the copper electrode acts as the

anode (positive electrode) and brass electrode acts as the
cathode (negative electrode).
 When electricity is passed through the solution, the copper
sulphate breaks down into its ions.
 The copper ions (they have a positive charge) get attracted by
the brass electrode while the sulphur ions being negatively
charged move towards the copper electrode.
 As a result, copper starts depositing on the brass electrode.
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 The process of electroplating takes some time to complete.
 The amount of time that it will take depends upon the strength

of the current that is being passed through the circuit and also
upon the concentration of the electrolyte.
 As these two are increased the speed of the electroplating

process also increases.

Applications of electroplating
Medical equipment is made up of nickel
which is harmful to the human body
hence to avoid it from coming in contact
with our body a coating of platinum or
gold is applied on the surface of nickel.

Many kitchen equipment, bath taps, parts

of cars etc. are covered with chromium
coating. Chromium is an expensive metal
hence the objects are created with the
cheaper metal and chromium coating is
provided. Thus, to bring a shining over the objects and prevent
them from corrosion chromium coating is used.

Jewelry makers often make

ornaments of less expensive
metals and provide a coating
of gold or silver upon them.
 The tin cans that are used to store food are
actually made up of iron and have a coating of tin
on them. Iron can easily react with food and spoil
it, however, tin prevents the food from getting

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 reacted with iron and therefore helps in preventing it from
getting spoiled easily.
 Bridges and various parts of
automobiles are made up of iron because
it provides strength. However in order to
prevent iron from getting rusted a coating
of zinc is provided over it. This method is
also called galvanization of iron.

Other applications of the Chemical Effect of

Electric Current
1. Extracting metals from their ores
Pure metals are extracted from metal ores with the process of
electrolysis. Electricity is passed through the metal ores and they
get broken down into an ionic lattice and thus the metal is
obtained separately. For example, metals like aluminium,
magnesium, potassium, sodium and calcium are obtained from
their ores in this way.

Figure 8 Extraction of
Aluminium

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2. Purification of metals
The method of electrolysis is also used to purify a metal by
separating it from the impurities. The impure metal is used as an
anode which first dissolves in the electrolyte solution and then
deposits on the cathode in the pure form. The impurities of the
metal remain in the electrolyte solution only. Metals like
aluminium, zinc and copper are purified in this way.

Figure 9 Purification of Copper using Electroplating

3. Production of compounds
The electrolysis method is used for the production of some
compounds. For example, sodium hydrochlorite (bleach).

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4. Decomposition of compounds
The electrolysis method is also used to decompose a compound
into its constituents. For example, water can be decomposed
using the process of electrolysis to obtain hydrogen and oxygen.

Figure 10 Decomposing water to separate hydrogen and

oxygen
Activity: Do-it-Yourself Electrolysis of Water

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How well do you understand the chemical
effects of electric current… Let’s Revise
Multiple-Choice Questions

1. An electric current can produce

(a) heating effect only.
(b) chemical effect only.
(c) magnetic effect only.
(d) chemical, heating, and magnetic effects.

2. Boojho and Paheli performed experiments taking similar

bulbs and cells but two different solutions A and B as shown in
Fig.14.1.

They found that the bulb in the setup A glows more brightly as
compared to that of the setup B. You would conclude that
(a) higher current is flowing through the circuit in setup A.
(b) higher current is flowing through the circuit in setup B.
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(c) equal current is flowing through both the circuits.
(d) the current flowing through the circuits in the two setups
cannot be compared in this manner.

3. Boojho’s uncle has set up an electroplating factory near his

village. He should dispose off the waste of the factory
(a) in the nearby river.
(b) in the nearby pond.
(c) in the nearby cornfield.
(d) according to the disposal guidelines of the local authority.

4. When electric current is passed through a conducting solution,

there is a change of colour of the solution. This indicates
(a) the chemical effect of current.
(b) the heating effect of current.
(c) the magnetic effect of current.
(d) the lightning effect of current.

5. Which one of the following solutions will not conduct

electricity?
(a) lemon juice
(b) vinegar
(c) tap water
(d) vegetable oil

6. Which of the following metals is used in electroplating to

make objects appear shining?
(a) iron (c) chromium (b) copper (d) aluminium

7. Which of the following solutions will not make the bulb in

Fig 14.2 glow?
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(a) sodium chloride
(b) copper sulphate
(c) silver nitrate
(d) sugar solution in diluted water

Answers: 1. d 2. a 3. d 4. a 5. d 6. c 7. d

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Very Short-Answer Questions
8. Fill in the blanks
(a) The object to be electroplated is taken as ____________
electrode.
(b) One of the most common applications of chemical effect of
electric current is ______________.
(c) Small amount of a mineral salt present naturally in water
makes it a______________ of electricity.
(d) Electroplating of ______________ is done on objects like
water taps and cycle bell to give them a shiny appearance.

9. Why is a layer of zinc coated over iron?

10. Will the solution of sugar in distilled water conduct

electricity?

11. Name the effect of current responsible for the glow of the
bulb in an electric circuit.

Answers
8. (a) Cathode (c) Conductor (b) Electroplating (d) Chromium
9. A coating of zinc is provided to protect iron from corrosion
and rust.
10. No
11. Heating effect of electric current.

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Short-Answer Questions
12. Boojho made the circuit given in Fig. 14.3 and observed that
the bulb did not glow. On Paheli’s suggestion he added one
more cell in the circuit. The bulb now glows. Explain.

13. Paheli set up an experiment using liquid A in the beaker as

shown in Fig. 14.4. She observed that the bulb glows. Then she
replaced the liquid A by another liquid B. This time the bulb did
not glow. Boojho suggested replacing the bulb by an LED. They
observed that the LED glows. Explain.

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14. Paheli wants to deposit silver on an iron spoon. She took
silver nitrate (AgNO3) solution in a beaker and setup a simple
circuit for electroplating. Which terminal of the battery should
the spoon be connected to? What material should the other
electrode be made of?

15. Why is tin electroplated on iron to make cans used for

storing food?

16. Observe Fig. 14.5. Which of these two circuits A or B shows

the correct observation?

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17. Observe the following circuits carefully. In which circuit
will the bulb glow?

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Answers
12. Addition of another cell increased the current through the
bulb sufficiently to make it glow.

13. The current through liquid B could be weak and therefore

unable to make the bulb glow. However, it was strong enough
for the LED to glow.

14. The spoon should be connected to the negative terminal of

the battery. The other electrode should be made of silver.

15. Tin is less reactive than iron. Tin coating prevents food from
coming in contact with iron and thus prevents it from getting
spoiled.

16. Diagram A shows the correct observation.

17. The bulb glows with the iron nail and the steel spoon.

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Long-Answer Questions
18. An electric current is passed through a conducting solution.
List any three possible observations.

19. In the circuit given as Fig. 14.7, Boojho observed that

copper is deposited on the electrode connected to the negative
terminal of the battery. Paheli tried to repeat the same
experiment. But she could find only one copper plate. Therefore
she took a carbon rod as negative electrode. Will copper be still
deposited on the carbon rod? Explain your answer.

20. Observe the circuit given in Fig. 14.8. Boojho set up this
circuit for purification of copper. What will be the nature of – (i)
plate A (ii) plate B (iii) the solution. Explain the process of
purification.

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21. Observe the following circuit given in Fig. 14.9. Current
does not flow in the circuit if there is a gap between the two
wires. Does it indicate that air is a poor conductor of electricity?
Does air never conduct electricity? Explain.

22. Boojho made the circuit shown in Fig. 14.10. He wanted to

observe what happens when an electric current is passed through
water. But he forgot to add a few drops of lemon juice to water.
Will it make any difference to his observations? Explain.
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23. Observing that the bulb does not glow in the circuit shown in
Fig. 14.11 A, Boojho changed the circuit as shown in Fig 14.11
B. He observed deflection in the magnetic compass.

(i) What does the deflection in magnetic compass indicate? (ii)

Why did the bulb not glow in Fig.14.11 A? (iii) What would be
the effect of increase in the number of turns in the coil wound
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around the magnetic compass in Fig. 14.11B? (iv) What will be
observed if the number of cells are increased in the circuit
shown in Fig. 14.11B?

24. You are provided with a magnetic compass, an empty match

box, a battery of two cells and connecting wires. Using these
objects how will you make a tester for testing an electric circuit?
Draw the necessary circuit diagram and explain.

Answers

18.
• Bubbles of gas may be formed on the electrodes.
• Deposits of metal may be seen on electrodes.
• Change in the colour of the solution may take place.
• The solution may get heated.(Any three)

19. Yes, copper from the copper sulphate solution will be

deposited on the carbon rod. Copper from the copper plate will
be dissolved into the copper sulphate solution for electroplating.

20. (i) plate A – Pure copper

(ii) plate B – Impure copper
(iii) the solution – Copper sulphate Copper from impure copper
plate is transferred to the pure copper plate by the process of
electroplating.

21. Yes, air is a poor conductor of electricity. No, under certain

conditions, such as during lightning, air may conduct electricity.

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22. If the water is distilled water and lemon juice is not added,
no current will pass through the circuit. If the water taken is
salty, then a feeble current will pass through the circuit and
bubbles will be seen on the negative electrode.

23. (i) It indicates the presence of current in the circuit.

(ii) The bulb did not glow because the current was not sufficient
to make it glow.
(iii) Deflection in the magnetic compass will increase.
(iv) Deflection in the compass will increase further

24. Whenever current flows through the circuit the magnetic

compass needle shows deflection due to magnetic effect of
current.

Best Wishes.

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