Al-Jabir Academy

(An excellent academy for IGCSE/O/A level)

4 Electrolysis
Candidates should be able to:
(a) describe electrolysis as the conduction of electricity by an ionic compound (an electrolyte), when molten or
dissolved in water, leading to the decomposition of the electrolyte
(b) describe electrolysis as evidence for the existence of ions which are held in a lattice when solid but which are
free to move when molten or in solution
(c) describe, in terms of the mobility of ions present and the electrode products, the electrolysis of molten lead
bromide, using inert electrodes
(d) predict the likely products of the electrolysis of a molten compound
(e) apply the idea of selective discharge (linked to the reactivity series for cations, see 9.2) to deduce the
electrolysis products of aqueous solutions; describe the electrolysis of concentrated aqueous sodium
chloride, aqueous copper(II) sulfate and dilute sulfuric acid using inert electrodes
(f) predict the likely products of the electrolysis of an aqueous electrolyte, given relevant information
(g) construct equations for the reactions occurring at each electrode (anode and cathode) during electrolysis
(h) describe the electrolysis of purified aluminium oxide dissolved in molten cryolite as the method of extraction of
aluminium (see 9.5(a))
(i) describe the electrolysis of aqueous copper(II) sulfate with copper electrodes as a means of purifying copper
(j) describe the electroplating of metals, including copper plating, and recall one use of electroplating
(k) describe the production of electrical energy from simple cells (i.e. two electrodes in an electrolyte) linked to the
reactivity series (see 9.2)

Prepared by-
Muhammad Usman Zaman
B.Sc(hons),M.Sc(1st class)
Cell: 01715340755
E-mail:[email protected]

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(a) describe electrolysis as the conduction of electricity by an ionic compound (an
electrolyte), when molten or dissolved in water, leading to the decomposition of the
electrolyte
Electrolysis decomposition of an electrolyte by the passage of electricity.
Process by which an electric current is passed through a substance to cause a chemical
change.

The chemical change is one in which the substance loses or gains an electron.

The process uses an apparatus consisting of positive and negative electrodes which are
separated from each other in a solution.

• Electrolyte:
o Aq. solution of ionic substance or molten ionic salt.eg. sodiumchloride solution,
hydrochloric acid solution, molten lead(II)bromide.
o Conducts electricity due to the presence of mobile ions

• Electrodes:
o Rods which help current enter the electrolyte
o Inert electrodes: do not take part in the reaction. It is made up of graphite or platinum.
o Reactive electrodes: take part in the reaction

Electric current enters through the negatively charged electrode (cathode).

Positively charged parts of the solution travel to the cathode, combine with the electrons,
and are transformed into neutral molecules.

The negatively charged parts of the solution travel to the positive electrode (anode), give
up electrons, and are transformed into neutral molecules.

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(b) Describe electrolysis as evidence for the existence of ions which are held in a lattice when solid but
which are free to move when molten or in solution..

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(c) Describe, in terms of the mobility of ions present and the electrode products, the electrolysis
of molten lead bromide, using inert electrodes..
Solid lead(II) bromide does not conduct electricity
because the ions are not mobile.
Molten lead(II) bromide contains mobile ions

Cation Anion
2+ -
Pb () Br ()
At cathode, lead(II) cations receive electrons, they undergo reduction and discharge to
form lead atoms.
Pb2+(l) + 2e– Pb(l)
At anode, bromide anions give up electrons, they undergo oxidation and discharge to form
bromine atoms.
2Br-(l) Br2(l) + 2e
Bromine atoms then join in pair to form bromine molecules.

(d) Predict the likely products of the electrolysis of a molten compound.

Example:

Molten compound Product at the anode Product at the cathode

NaCl Chlorine gas Sodium
Aluminium oxide Oxigen gas Aluminium
Calcium chloride Chlorine Calcium

(e) apply the idea of selective discharge (linked to the reactivity series for cations, see 9.2) to
deduce the electrolysis products of aqueous solutions; describe the electrolysis of concentrated
aqueous sodium chloride, aqueous copper(II) sulfate and dilute sulfuric acid using inert
electrodes
For anode reaction:
● If halide ions are present then they will discharge.
● If halide ions are not present then hydroxide ions will be discharged unless dilute is mentioned.
● In dilute halide solutions hydroxide ions will discharge.

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For cathode reaction: In cathode reaction, the product depends on the reactivity series.
Lower the position of the cation, easy yaar it to discharge.

Example: Describe the electrolysis of i) concentrated aqueous sodium chloride

Describe the electrolysis of ii) dilute aqueous sodium chloride

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iii) Electrolysis of aqueous copper(II) sulfate using inert electrode(graphite or platinum):

iv) Electrolysis of aqueous copper(II) sulfate using copper electrode:

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v) Electrolysis of aqueous dilute sulfuric acid using inert electrodes.

(f) Predict the likely products of the electrolysis of an aqueous electrolyte, given relevant
information
(g) Construct equations for the reactions occurring at each electrode (anode and cathode) during
electrolysis

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(h) describe the electrolysis of purified aluminium oxide dissolved in molten cryolite as the method of
extraction of aluminium (see 9.5(a))

Aluminium ore is called bauxite (Al2O3). The bauxite is purifiedto yield a white powder – aluminium
oxide (also known as alumina) – from which aluminium can be extracted.

The extraction is done by electrolysis, but first the aluminium oxide must be melted so that
electricity can pass through it. However, aluminium oxide has a very high melting point (over
2,000°C) so it would be expensive to melt it.

Instead, it is dissolved in molten cryolite(Na3AlF6) – an aluminium compound with a lower

melting point than aluminium oxide. The use of molten cryolite as a solvent reduces some of the
energy costs involved in extracting aluminium by allowing the ions in aluminium oxide to move
freely at a lower temperature.

Cathode reaction:
Aluminium ions receive electrons at the negative electrode and are reduced to
aluminium atoms:
Al3+ + 3e– → Al (reduction – gain electrons)
The molten aluminium sinks to the bottom of the cell, where it is tapped off.
Anode reaction:
Oxide ions lose electrons at the positive electrodes and are oxidised to oxygen gas:
2O2– → O2 + 4e– (oxidation – lose electrons)
This oxygen reacts with the carbon of the positive electrodes, forming carbon dioxide.
C + O2  CO2
So they gradually burn away. As a result, the positive electrodes have to be replaced
frequently. This adds to the cost of the process.

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(i) describe the electrolysis of aqueous copper(II) sulfate with copper electrodes as a means of purifying
copper

(j) Describe the electroplating of metals, including copper plating, and recall one use of electroplating

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For electroplating, you need:
o Anode made of metal you want to electroplate object with
o Ions of same metal as anode in solution
o Object to be plated at cathode

(k) Describe the production of electrical energy from simple cells (i.e. two electrodes in an
electrolyte) linked to the reactivity series

Electric Cells or simple cells

Chemical changes are used to produce electricity. Chemical changes Electrical Energy
This occurs in electric cells (also known as batteries).
A simple electric cell consists of (Fig. 3):
- An electrolyte
- Two electrodes made of different metals
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Overall change:
Zn (s) + 2H+ (aq) Zn2+ (aq) + H2 (g)( redox reaction)
The electric cell can work because of the difference in reactivity of the metal electrodes
used.
The metal which is higher up in the reactivity series, gives up electrons more readily
and acts as the negative electrode

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Other electric cells:
- Made in similar way as in Fig. but with different metals.
- The voltage depends on the positions of the two
metals in the reactivity series.
- The further apart the metals are in the reactivity series,
the larger the voltage.

- There are also different rechargeable and non-rechargeable cells.

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Uses of electric cells: a convenient form of portable energy.

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