ELECTROCHEMISTRY

LEARNING OUTCOMES

9.1 conduct investigations leading to the

classification of substances as conductors
or non-conductors;
9.2 distinguish between metallic and
electrolytic conduction;
9.3 classify electrolytes as strong or weak
based on their conductivity;
 Electrochemistry

Electrochemistry is the study of electrochemical reactions.

These are reactions that either produce electrical energy or require

electrical energy to proceed.

.
 Electrical conduction
Substances can be divide into two groups based on their whether
they conduct electricity or not.

 CONDUCTORS – allow the passage of electricity. Substances

that have low resistance to the passage of electricity. Metals,
graphite, molten ionic compounds, aqueous ionic compounds,
acids and alkalis.

 NON- CONDUCTORS or insulators – resist the passage or flow

of electricity. Non-metals, plastics , solid ionic compounds,
covalent compounds

Electrical conductions in conductors can be explained through how

the atoms are bonded.
 Metallic and Electrolytic Conduction
METALLIC CONDUCTION:
 Metals conduct electric current because of mobile electrons. In metallic
structures, positive ions are packed closely together in a regular way.
‘Free electrons’ move randomly throughout the structure. When a
power source is attached to the metal, all the electrons move in one
direction. An electrical current is flowing.
ELECTROLYTIC CONDUCTION:
 An ionic substance consists of positive and negative ions held together
by electrostatic attraction. In the solid state the ions are rigidly held in
place. When the substance is dissolved or molten, the ions become
free to move about. The mobile ions move randomly about, but if
attached to a power source they move in one direction. This movement
is an electric current.
 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN METALLIC AND
ELECTROLYTIC CONDUCTION
CONDUCTION IN A METAL
Mobile electrons in the electron
pool carry the electric current
through the metal.
Metals in both liquid and solid
state
The metal remains unchanged
chemically.
CONDUCTION IN AN
ELECTROLYTE
Mobile ions, which are no longer
held together by ionic bonds,
carry the electric current through
the electrolyte.
Electrolyte in both liquid and
aqueous state
The electrolyte decomposes, i.e.
it is chemically changed.
 ELECTROLYTES
Electrolytes are liquids that conduct electricity by the movement of
mobile ions. Example: molten salts, aqueous solutions of acids,
alkalis and salts.
There are two types of electrolytes based on the degree of ionization
and conductivity when in the liquid state. These are:
 Strong electrolytes – substances which are completely ionized
when dissolved or molten. These electrolytes have a high
conductivity, because concentration of ions is high.
 NaCl(s) → Na+(aq) + Cl-(aq)
 Weak electrolytes- substances which are partially ionized when
dissolved in water. These electrolytes have a low conductivity,
because concentration of ions is low.
CH COOH(s) ↔ CH COO-(aq) + H+(aq)
 THE IONIC THEORY
 The ionic theory proposes that in the presence of freely-moving
charged particles called ions in the electrolyte that allows
electrolysis to occur.

 These ions are only mobile when the electrolytes are in molten or
aqueous state.

 These free moving ions arise only when an ionic solid melts or
dissolves in water or when certain polar covalent compounds
dissolve in water and their molecules ionize (dissociate into freely-
moving ions).
 Class Work
1. a. Divide the following substances into conductors and
non-conductors: copper, lead, iodine, aqueous iron (II)
chloride, silver, oxygen, aluminium oxide.

b. Which of the substances on the list in (a) are electrolytes?

2. Why does aqueous sodium chloride conduct electricity, but

dry sodium chloride does not?

3. Explain how graphite is able to conduct an electric current.