Do it now – think about the words that go under the

blanks

In electrolysis there is a positive electrode called the

anode which attracts the negatively charged ions and a
negative electrode called a cathode which attracts the
positive ions.

The electrolyte is the solution we perform electrolysis on.

The electrolyte is a molten or dissolved ionic substance.

When molten aluminium bromide is electrolysed, molten

aluminium metal and bromine gas is produced.
Do it now – write this HW in your planners

Complete ‘examples of electrolysis’ and required practical

follow up questions – due Wednesday 10th May
 Electrolysis

Learning objectives
• Recall that electrolytes are ionic compounds in the molten state or
dissolved in water
• Describe electrolysis as a process in which electrical energy, from a
direct current supply, decomposes electrolytes
• Explain the movement of ions during electrolysis, in which:
a) positively charged cations migrate to the negatively charged
cathode
b) negatively charged anions migrate to the positively charged
anode
• Write half equations for reactions occurring at the anode and
cathode in electrolysis
• Explain oxidation and reduction in terms of loss or gain of
electrons
• Recall that reduction occurs at the cathode and that oxidation
occurs at the anode in electrolysis reactions
 Neutron
-
+
Electron
- + + -
+

-
Proton
Ions form when atoms lose or gain electrons.
Negative ions form when atoms gain electrons.
Negative ions are also called anions. Positive ions
form when atoms lose electrons. Positive ions are
also called cations.
How is a sodium ion formed?

+
loses
1 electron

Sodium atom Sodium ion

How is a chloride ion formed?
-
gains 1
electron
Cl
Cl

Chorine atom

Chloride ion
 Ionic substances

Positive
sodium
ion Negative
chloride ion
 Electrolysis

When electricity breaks up an ionic substance

Proper definition:
When electrical energy, from a direct current supply,
decomposes electrolytes
Negative Positive
electrode electrode
(cathode) (anode)

Positive
Negative ion
ion
(anion)
(cation)
The electrodes are
usually made from
Electrolyte inert (unreactive)
(Molten or dissolved ionic materials like
substance) graphite or platinum
Why does the electrolyte have to be molten or dissolved?

As solids, all the ions are ions in

solid state
held together in an ionic cannot
lattice by ionic bonds. The move
ions can’t move.

When liquid (molten) or in ions in

molten state
solution (aqueous), the can move
ions can break free of the and conduct
lattice and are able to move. electricity
The electrolysis of lead bromide
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x2ZCSr23Z8
 + -
Positive Negative
electrode electrode

+ -
Zn+ Cl- Zn+
Zn +
Zn+
Cl- Cl-
Cl- Cl-
Zn+ Cl
-

Zn +
Zn+
Cl- Zn+
Cl-
Electrolyte
 + -

+ -
Cl- Cl- Zn+ Zn+
Cl- Cl - Zn+
Cl - Zn+

Cl- Cl- Cl- Zn+ +

Zn Zn+Zn
+
 + -
Cl
Cl Cl Cl

+ -
Zn+
Zn+
Cl- - Zn+
Cl Cl- Cl
-
Zn+

Zn
Zn Gain
Lose Zn
Zn Electrons
electrons (reduction)
(oxidation)
Using OILRIG
Oxidation

Is

Loss of electrons

Reduction

Is

Gain of electrons
 Keyword Definition
Oxidation/ Loss of electrons
oxidised
Electrolysis When an electric current breaks up
an ionic substance
Reduction/ Gain of electrons
reduced
Electrode A inert surface that becomes
charged and attracts the
oppositely charged ion
Electrolyte A molten or dissolved ionic
1. + -
A B

+ -
Zn+ Cl- Zn+
Zn +
Zn+
Cl- Cl-
Cl- Cl-
Zn+ Cl
-

Zn +
Zn+
Cl- Zn+
C Cl-
2. Which
ion will go + -
to the
positive
electrode?
+ -
Zn+ Cl- Zn+
Zn +
Zn+
Cl- Cl-
Cl- Cl-
Zn+ Cl
-

Zn +
Zn+
Cl- Zn+
Cl-
3. Which
ion will go + -
to the
negative
electrode?
+ -
Zn+ Cl- Zn+
Zn +
Zn+
Cl- Cl-
Cl- Cl-
Zn+ Cl
-

Zn +
Zn+
Cl- Zn+
Cl-
4. Explain
why H+
+ -
ions move
to the
negative
electrode + -
H+ Cl- H+
H +
H+
Cl- Cl-
Cl- Cl-
H+ Cl -

H +
H+
Cl- H+
Cl-
5. Explain
why the
+ -
ionic
substance
must be
molten or + -
dissolved
for H+
H +
Cl- H+
H+
electrolysis Cl-
Cl-
to work. Cl-
H+ Cl -
Cl-
H +
H+
Cl- H+
Cl-
What are half equations?
• We represent oxidation and reduction using half-
equations
• Half equations show how one ion loses/gains
electrons at the electrode
• Positive ions will GAIN ELECTRONS – REDUCTION
• i.e. Mg2+ + 2e-  Mg
• Negative ions will LOSS ELECTRONS – OXIDATION
• i.e. 2Cl-  Cl2 + 2e-
Reduction half equations

Na+ + ___  Na

Ca2+ + ___  Ca

Al3+ + ___  Al

_H+ + ___  H2
Oxidation half equations
2Cl-  Cl2 + ____

__Br-  Br2 + ____

___O2-  O2 + ____

___S2-  S2 + ____

___N3-  N2 + ____
 Electrolysis part 2

Learning objectives
• Explain the formation of the products in the electrolysis, using inert
electrodes, of some electrolytes, including:
a) copper chloride solution
b) sodium chloride solution
c) sodium sulfate solution
d) water acidified with sulfuric acid
e) molten lead bromide (demonstration)
• Predict the products of electrolysis of other binary, ionic compounds in
the molten state
• Explain formation of the products in the electrolysis of copper sulfate
solution, using copper electrodes, and how this electrolysis can be used
to purify copper
• Core practical: Investigate the change in mass of the anode and of the
cathode, when copper sulfate solution is electrolysed between copper
electrodes
 When you perform electrolysis on a molten ionic
substance it’s easy to determine your products. There’s
one type of positive metal ion that turns into a solid metal
and one type of negative non-metal ion that turns into a
gas.
 Molten Ions in Product at Product at
substance electrolyte negative positive
electrode and electrode and
half equation half equation
Potassium K+ K(s) Br2(g)
bromide (KBr) Br- K+ + __  K 2Br-  Br2 + __

Aluminium Al3+ Al(s) O2(g)

oxide (Al2O3) O2- Al3+ +___  Al 2O2-  O2 + __

Copper(II) Cu2+ Cu(s) Cl2(g)

chloride (CuCl2) Cl- Cu2+ + __  Cu 2Cl-  Cl2 + __

Calcium sulfide Ca2+ Ca(s) S2(g)

(CaS) S2- Ca2+ + __  Ca 2S2-  S2 + __
 Electrolysis of aqueous (aq) salt solutions

+ -
If the ionic
substance
has been
dissolved
then water + -
(H2O) will be
present. Zn
+
H+
Cl-
H+
Zn+
Zn +

OH - Zn+
OH-
H
+
The H2O Cl -
Cl- Cl- H+
Cl-
Zn+ Cl
-
splits up into OH-
OH-
Zn +
Zn+
H+ and OH- Cl- Zn+
Cl -
H+
ions
 What forms at the electrodes when the ionic
substance is dissolved?

At the negative electrode

The positive metal ion and the hydrogen ion from

water are both attracted to the negative electrode.

The less reactive substance will be reduced

Circle the positive ion in each
pair that is reduced
 What forms at the electrodes when the ionic
substance is dissolved?

At the positive electrode

• The negative ion from the ionic substance and the
hydroxide ion from water are both attracted to the
positive electrode
• If there are halide ions (group 7 ions) then they
are less reactive than OH- so they will go to the
positive electrode and be oxidised into a gas (i.e.
2Cl-  Cl2)
• If there is any other type of negative ion then the
OH- go to the electrode and are oxidised to
oxygen gas and water
4OH-  O2 + 2H2O + 4e-
Circle the negative ion in each
pair that is oxidised
 Aqueous salt Ions in Product at Product at
solution electrolyte negative positive
electrode and electrode and
half equation half equation
Copper chloride Cu2+
solution CuCl2(aq) Cl-
H+ and OH-
Sodium chloride Na+
solution NaCl(aq) Cl-
H+ and OH-
Sodium sulfate Na+
solution SO42-
Na2SO4(aq)
H+ and OH-
Water acidifed H+
with sulfuric acid OH-
(H2O and H2SO4)
SO42-
 Required practical – Investigate the change in mass of the
anode and of the cathode, when copper sulfate solution is
electrolysed between copper electrodes

1. What will be the products from the electrolysis of copper sulfate

solution?
2. Do you think the mass of the electrodes will change during this
experiment?
 Copper Copper
cathode anode

3. Do you think the results will be different is copper electrodes are

used instead?

4. Do you think increasing the current will have an effect on the

change in mass of electrodes?
Results
 In the lab test tubes filled with brine are placed over
the electrodes to collect the gases

Chlorine gas Hydrogen

is acidic so gas will
will turn U.I make the
paper or blue splint go
litmus paper out with a
red and then squeaky
bleach it pop
white
Sodium hydroxide is left
behind in the solution
Electrolysis of brine in industry
Using OILRIG
Oxidation

Is

Loss of electrons

Reduction

Is

Gain of electrons
 Electrolysis 1

Keyword Definition Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

When an electric current

breaks up an ionic substance

A molten or dissolved ionic

substance

A inert surface that

becomes charged and
These diagrams show how zinc chloride (ZnCl) undergoes electrolysis. First the zinc must be
attracts the oppositely
charged ion turned into an electrolyte by ___________ it or dissolving it in _____________. This is
done so that the ions can ___________ and ______________ _______________. The
Loss of electrons
zinc ions (Zn+) will be attracted to the _____________ electrode and the chloride ions (Cl-)

Gain of electrons will be attracted to the ______________ electrode. This is because they have
_____________ charges. The zinc ions (Zn+) are then _______________. This means that
Concentrated sodium
they __________ electrons. The chloride ions (Cl-) are _____________. This means they
chloride solution
________ electrons.

Electrolysis of brine
If the electrolyte has been dissolved in water (____) then there Product Uses

will also be ___ (hydroxide ions) and _____ (hydrogen ions) To make bleach and PVC
present. When brine is electrolysed then the chloride ions (Cl-) go plastic.
Added to water to kill
to the ___________ electrode and are _____________ to
harmful microorganisms.
chlorine gas. The hydrogen ions (H+) go to the ___________
Used as a fuel.
electrode and are __________ to hydrogen gas. The sodium ions
(Na+) and the hydroxide ions (OH-) are left behind in the solution Used to make cleaning
and form __________ ____________. products
Products from the electrolysis of brine (sodium chloride
solution))

and making margarine

Soap and paper

 What is Electroplating?
• Electroplating is a process
that uses electrolysis to
coat the surface of one
metal with another metal.
• For example, you might want
to electroplate silver onto a
brass cup to make it look
nice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9Y8xclePOw
 How does electroplating work?

Object being
electroplated
Positive is the
electrode negative
made of electrode

metal to
plate the
object

Electrolyte also contains the metal ion that will plate

the object
 How does electroplating work?

Oxidation
occurs at the
positive
electrode
Reduction
Cu  Cu + 2e
2+ -
occurs at the
negative
electrode
Cu2+ + 2e-  Cu
• What are the two main rules for electroplating to
work?
Uses of Electroplating
There are lots of different uses for
electroplating. Here are some examples:
• Decoration: Silver is attractive, but very
expensive. It’s much cheaper to plate a boring
brass cup with silver, than it is to make the cup
out of solid silver — but it looks just as pretty.
• Conduction: Metals like copper conduct
electricity well — because of this they’re often
used to plate metals for electronic circuits and
computers.
Extracting aluminium
from its ore
 Ores
Rocks which contain enough metal to make it
economical to extract it.
 Bauxite Extracting aluminium
Aluminium oxide
Al2O3 We extract aluminium from its
_____ which is called
____________. Bauxite
contains _________ ______.
Aluminium is a very useful metal
which is used to make _______,
_________, _________ and
____________
Why is the aluminium oxide mixed with molten
cryolite before it is electrolysed?
Electrolysis of aluminium oxide

Positive electrode made from

graphite (carbon)
Negative electrode

Molten aluminium oxide

dissolved in cryolite
 Step 1

O2-
Al3+

Al3+ O2- O2-

Al3+ Al3+ O2-

 The
Step 2
aluminium
ions move to
the
________
electrode and
the oxygen
ions move to
O2-
O2-
O2- the
O2-
________
electrode
Al3+
because they
are
Al3+ Al3+ Al3+

__________
charged.
 Step 3
The oxygen ions
are _______
C
to oxygen gas
O O
C
which reacts
with the carbon
O O

electrode to
make ______
_______. The
aluminium ions
are _______
to aluminium
Al Al Al Al metal which is
tapped off at
the bottom.