IONIC THEORY AND ELECTROLYSIS

ELECTROLYSIS
Is the process in which an electric current is
passed through an electrolytes causing the
Chemical Reaction.
TERMS USED
i. Free electron or ion
Is the electron or ions which can move at any
point within a compound or atom.
 CONT…
ii. Conductor is a substance which allows
electricity to pass through it. Example ,
copper, iron etc.
Reason: conductor has free electron or ion.
iii. Non-conductor (insulator) is a
substance which does not allow electricity to
pass through. Example wood, plastics etc.
Reason: Insulator has not free electron or
ion.
 Cont…
iv. Poor conductor is a substance which
allow only small amount of electricity to
pass through. Example Water, ethanol,
paraffin etc.
Reason: poor conductor has very few free
electron or ion
v. Migration is the movement of an ions to
the electrode.
 Cont…
vi. Reduction is the gain of electrons
to become stable.
vii. Oxidation is the loss of electrons
to become stable.
ELECTROLYTE
Is the substances which dissociated
into free ions when in solution or
molten state thus allowing electric
current to pass through it.
Electrolytes commonly exist as
solutions of acids or bases.
 TYPES OF ELECTROLYTES
There are two types of electrolytes:
1. STRONG ELECTROLYTE
Are electrolyte which are dissociated completely
into ions when in solution or in a liquid state.
Examples
NaCl(aq) →Na+(aq) + Cl-(aq)
H2SO4(aq) → 2H+(aq) + SO42-(aq)
HNO3(aq) → H+(aq) + NO3-(aq)
HCl(aq) → H+(aq) + Cl-(aq)
 2. WEAK ELECTROLYTE
Are electrolytes that dissociate partially
into ions when in molten state or in
solution. they do not efficiently conduct
electricity. Examples
H2CO3(aq) ⇌ 2H+(aq) + CO32-(aq)
CH3COOH(aq) ⇌ CH3COO-(aq) + H+(aq)
NH4Cl (aq) ⇌ NH4+(aq) + Cl-(aq)
H2O ⇌ H+(aq) + OH-
 NON ELECTROLYTES
Is the solution or molten compound which
does not conduct electric current.
Such substance do not dissociate into
ions when dissolved into a solvent or
molten substance. They remain molecular
form, example hydrogen chloride gas and
methyl benzene
 HOME WORK
1. Explain why Molten copper are
non-electrolytes but conduct
electricity.
2. Explain why sugar solution
cannot conduct electricity.
 IONIC THEORY
 An ion is a charged particle.
 It is either positive (+) charged or negative (-)
charged ions are derived from atoms or radical
ions differ from atoms by possessing electrical
charges.
 Substance called electrolytes are made up
positive and negative ions.
 Negative charge derived from non-metals and
positive charge derived from metals.
 Cont…
The ammonium ion (NH4+) and
hydrogen ion (H+) are special cases.
The positively charged particle is
called CATION.
The negatively charged particle is
called ANION.
 ELECTROLYTIC CELL
Is an apparatus in which electric current is
carried out.
ELECTRODE
Is the component of the cell which makes
contact with the electrolyte to enable electric
current to enter and leave the electrolytes.
TYPES OF ELECTRODE
There are two types include:
i. Cathode.
ii. Anode.
 CATHODE
Is the electrode which is attached to the
negative terminal of the battery.
This is the electrode through which
electrons enter the electrolyte.
Reduction reaction takes place at the
cathode.
 ANODE
Is the electrode which is attached to the
positive terminal of the battery.
 This is the electrode through which
electrons leave the electrolyte.
An oxidation reaction takes place at
the anode.
NOTE THAT:
i. Sometimes the anode may be
oxidized and dissolve into the
electrolyte.
ii. Cathode Attracts Cations.
iii.Anode Attracts anions.
iv. Cation discharged at cathode.
v. Anion discharged at anode.
INERT ELECTRODES

Is electrode which do not undergo any

changes during electrolysis. For
example platinum and carbon
(graphite) electrode.
 MECHANISM OF ELECTROLYSIS

When an electric current is passed

through an electrolyte in an electrolytic
cell the free ions move to the electrodes.
The movement of an ions to the
electrolyte is referred to as migration,
Cation migrates towards the cathode
while anions migrates towards anodes.
FACTORS AFFECT THE DISCHARGE
ON IONS
At the electrodes, some of the ions
gain or lose electrons this has the
effect of discharging the ions.
The selection of ion to discharge
depends on the following factors:
1. Position of metals / Radical in
electrochemical series.
 Cont…
Electrochemical Series is an
arrangement of an elements depending
on their Ease in gaining Electrons.
 Cont…
2. Concentration of Ions.
A high concentration of ions tends to
favour their discharge of the ions.
3. Nature of the Electrode Used
The nature of electrode used, especially the
Cathode, also determines which ions are
discharged. Example electrolysis of
sodium chloride solution with mercury
cathode.
 ELECTROLYSIS OF SELECTED
ELECTROLYTES
The following is the selected electrolytes we
are going to study
i. Electrolysis of dilute sodium chloride
solution with carbon electrode.
ii. Electrolysis of sodium hydroxide solution
with carbon electrode.
iii. Electrolysis of copper (II) sulphate
solution with copper electrode.
 Cont…
iv. Electrolysis of copper (II) sulphate
solution with carbon electrode.
v. Electrolysis of dilute sulphuric acid with
carbon electrode.
vi. Electrolysis of molten potassium iodide
with carbon electrode.
vii. Electrolysis of nitric acid with platinum
electrode.
 LAWS OF ELECTROLYSIS
A man called Michael Faraday put
forward two laws expressing results of
experiments of electrolysis.
Under this law Faraday’s explained
the amount of substance liberated
during electrolysis depends on
mainly three factors:
 CONT…
i. Time of passing the steady current.
ii. The amount of current passing.
iii.The charge of the ion of the element
(electrolyte) used.
 FARADAY’S FIRST LAW OF
ELECTROLYSIS
The law state that
“The amount of substance liberated
during electrolysis is directly
proportional to the quantity of
electricity passing through the
electrolytes”
MATHEMATICALLY
•M  ∝ Q – remove proportionality
constant
M = ZQ
But: Q = It
Now: M=ZIt
But: Z =
 CONT…
•M  =
SI Unit of Z is g/c
Where:
M = the mass liberated during electrolysis.
Q= the Charge (Quantity of Electricity).
Z = Electrochemical Equivalent.
 CONT…
t = time taken for current to pass
through.
I = Current Electricity.
Ar = Relative Atomic Mass
V = Valence (number of charge)
 CONT…
The Si unit of quantity of electricity
is coulomb©
One Coulomb is the quantity of
electric charge passes through at a
given point in a circuit when a
current of 1 ampere flows for 1
second.
 Cont…
Faraday (F): is the quantity of
electric charge carried by one mole of
electrons.
1F = 96500C
Faraday constant is the amount of
electric charge carried by one mole of
electron.
1F = 1mol = 1electron
 Cont…
Electrochemical Equivalent (Z) is
the mass of the substance
discharged/dissolved when
1couloumb of electricity is passed
through an electrolyte.
• Its SI Unit is g/c.
 EXAMPLES OF FARADAY’S FIRST
LAW OF ELECTROLYSIS
1. A current of 0.5A were made to flow
silver voltmeter for 30minutes. Calculate
the mass of silver deposited.
2. A steel spoon is to be electroplated with
silver. How long a current of 1.5A should
be passed through a silver nitrate solution in
order to deposit 54g of silver metal on the
spoon?
 Cont…
3. What mass of copper will be deposited
from a solution of copper (II) sulphate
when a current of 7.5A is passed through
for 1minute and 40seconds?
4. 289500 coulombs were required to
deposit one mole of metallic element K
from its aqueous salt solution. Calculate the
valency of K.
 Cont…
5. 0.2F of electricity was passed
through a solution of copper sulphate.
Calculate mass of copper deposited.
6. How many mole of electrons are
required to produce 27g of Aluminium
during the electrolysis of molten
Al2O3 ?
 Cont…
7. An element Q has a relative atomic mass of
88. When a current of 0.5 A was passed through
fused chloride of Q for 32minutes and
10seconds,0.44g of Q was deposited at cathode
i. Calculate the number of Faradays needed to
liberate mole of Q.
ii. Write the formula Q ion.
iii. Write the formula of hydroxide of Q.
 Cont…
8. How many coulombs are required to
liberate 8g of calcium?
9. 0.02moles of electrons were passed
through a solution of sodium chloride using
carbon electrode.
i. Write ionic equations for the reactions
taking place at electrodes.
ii. Give the names of the gases evolved at
each electrode.
 Cont...
iii. Draw a labeled diagram of a
suitable apparatus for this electrolysis.
iv. Calculate the number of moles of
each gas produced and the volume
which each gas would occupy at S.T.P.
10. Calculate the time required to
complete the passage of 0.02 Faradays
if a current of 2A were passed through
the solution.
 SECOND FARADAY’S LAW
Consider the diagram below
 Cont…
Faraday’s second law of electrolysis it
stated that
“when the same quantity of electricity is
passed through solutions of different
electrolytes the mass of substances
liberated or deposited at the electrodes are
directly proportional to the chemical
equivalent of the substances”.
Mathematically
•M  = KE
But: K = 1
Then: M = E
But: E =
Where: M = The mass liberated during
electrolysis.
K = The proportionality constant.
E = The Chemical Equivalent.
 Cont…
•For
  FirstElectrolyte
M1 = KE1 …………… (1)
For Second Electrolyte
M2 = KE2 …………… (2)
Then: Divide Equation (1) to Equation
(2)
=
 Cont…
•Chemical
  equivalent =
Where
Ar = Relative atomic mass
V = Valency
EXAMPLES OF FARADAY’S SECOND
LAW OF ELECTROLYSIS
1. A current flowing through an
electrolyte cell deposits 0.25 g of silver
at a certain time interval. How much
copper would be deposited from a
solution of Copper (II) sulphate in the
same time interval using the same
current? (Ag=108, Cu=64).
 Cont…
2. A current of 10 000A is passed through
an electrolytic cell for purifying copper for
12hrs
i. What mass of pure copper is deposited
at the cathode?
ii. What mass of aluminium would be
deposited if the cell was changed to
refine aluminium?
(Cu=64, Al=27 and ZCu=3.29 x 10 -4)
 Cont…
3. A current was passed through a
voltammeter arranged in series. If the
weight of copper on the electrode of cells
number 1 was 1.27g. Find the weight of
silver deposited on the cathode of cell
number 2, if same quantity of electricity is
passed through it. Chemical equivalent of
silver is 108 and copper is 32.
 QUIZ (15 minutes)
1. An electric current was passed in series
through solutions of calcium chloride and
copper (II) sulphate. Carbon electrodes were
used in both electrolytes. If 2.5litres of
chlorine measured at S.T.P were produced.
i. What volume of oxygen would be produced?
ii. What mass of copper was produced? (Given
R.A.M of Cu = 64, GMV = 22.4dm3/mol)
 APPLICATION OF ELECTROLYSIS

The following are some of industrial

application of electrolysis.
i. It used for Production of gases.
ii. It used for Electroplating.
Electroplating is the electrical deposition of
one metal on another.
In electroplating a cheaper metal is usually
coated with a more expensive one.
 Cont…
The purpose of electroplating is to
protect the metal being electroplated
from corrosion or rusting and to
decorate it or improve its appearance.
iii. It used to Purification of copper.
iv. It used in Extraction of Most
Reactive Metal.
 Cont...

“Practice make perfect”

There is no practical without
theory.
Thank you for participation be
blessed my students.