CHAPTER 5

ENERGY AND CHEMICAL

CHANGES
5.5
ELECTROLYSIS
 ELECTROLYSIS IS A PROCESS OF BREAKING DOWN
AN ELECTROLYTE USING ELECTRIC CURRENT

IN ELECTROLYSIS, ELECTRICAL ENERGY IS

CHANGED INTO CHEMICAL ENERGY

THE BASIC SET-UP OF ELECTROLYSIS USUALLY

CONSIST OF THE ELECTROLYTE , ELECTRODES ,
ELECTRICAL SOURCE AND AMMETER
COMPONENT FUNCTION
ELECTROLYTE AN IONIC COMPOUND THAT CONDUCTS A DIRECT ELECTRIC CURRENT
IN MOLTEN STATE OR AQUEOUS SOLUTION
ELECTRODE AN ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR THAT ALLOWS ELECTRIC CURRENT TO
ENTER AND LEAVE THE ELECTROLYTE
CATHODE: THE ELECTRODE CONNECTED TO THE NEGATIVE
TERMINAL OF THE ELECTRICAL SOURCE
ANODE: THE ELECTRODE CONNECTED TO THE POSITIVE TERMINAL
OF THE ELECTRICAL SOURCE
ELECTRICAL SOURCE PROVIDES A DIFFERENT CURRENT TO OPERATE THE ELECTROLYTIC
(BATTERY OR DRY CELL
CELL)
AMMETER MEASURES THE CURRENT PASSING THROUGH AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT

VARIABLE RESISTOR VARIES THE RESISTANCE OF THE ELECTRIC CIRCUIT

SWITCH CONNECTS OR DISCONNECTS AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT

 ELECTROLYTE

AN ELECTROLYTE IS A COMPOUND IN A MOLTEN FORM OR AQUEOUS SOLUTION ( DISSOLVED

IN WATER ) WHICH CONTAINS IONS THAT CAN CONDUCT ELECTRICITY
NORMALLY, AN ELECTROLYTE HAS TWO TYPES OF CHARGED IONS , THAT IS A POSITIVE ION
(CATION) AND A NEGATIVE ION (ANION) .
THE CATION CAN BE A METAL ION OR A HYDROGEN ION.