Chemistry electrolysis Cheat Sheet

by michaelysy3 via cheatography.com/82864/cs/19677/

What is electr​olysis Electr​olysis of concen​trated solutions Types of simple cells (cont)

Electr​olysis is the process of using electr​icity Example: Concen​trated NaCl solution It is made up of two separate half-c​ells. A
to break down or decompose a compound At the anode, (1) OH– and Cl– ions are half-cell is composed of an electrode (a strip
(usually an ionic compound in the molten attracted to the anode. (2) Being concen​‐ of metal, M) within a solution containing
state or aqueous solution). It takes place in trated, Cl– ions are prefer​ent​ially Mn+ ions in which M is any arbitrary metal.
an electr​olytic cell. discharged as chlorine gas. (3) OH– ions The two half cells are linked together by a
remain in solution. wire running from one electrode to the
How does electr​olysis work? other. A salt bridge also connects to the half
At the cathode, (1) H+ and Na+ ions are
cells.
In the external circuit: Electrons flow from attracted to the cathode. (2) H+ ions are
the positive terminal to the negative terminal prefer​ent​ially discharged as hydrogen gas.
Salt bridge
within the electr​olyte: The flow of Ions flow (3) Na+ ions remain in solution.
towards the electrodes consti​tutes the flow The role of the salt bridge which contains a
Observ​ations: Efferv​escence of chlorine
of electric current through the electr​olyte salt solution (e.g. NaCl / KCl) is to maintain
gas is seen at the anode. Chlorine gas can
electrical neutrality in the cell and allow the
Anode: During electr​olysis, Anions move to be collected. Efferv​escence of hydrogen
free flow of ions from one cell to another.
the Anode and are discharged at the anode gas is seen at the cathode. Hydrogen gas
The solution at the anode side will turn
by losing electrons; oxidation occurs can be collected. The ratio of volumes of
more positively charged when more Zn
chlorine to hydrogen is 1:1. The electr​olyte
cathode: During electr​olysis, cations move
dissolves to form Zn2+ ions and the solution
becomes alkaline as NaOH is left behind,
to the cathode and are discharged at the
at the cathode side will turn more negatively
pH increases.
cathode by gaining electrons; reduction
charged when more Cu2+ ions form Cu
occurs Equal volumes of hydrogen gas and
atoms. The ions from the salt bridge will
chlorine gas are produced. The resulting
move to the respective solutions at the
Aqueous solutions of ionic compounds solution becomes alkaline because the
anode and cathode to balance the charges.
remaining Na+ and OH– ions recombine to
In aqueous solutions of ionic compounds, Without the salt bridge, positive and
form sodium hydroxide.
the ionic compounds ionised to form cations negative charges will build up around the
& anions together with hydrogen ions (H+) electrodes causing the reaction to stop.
Types of simple cells
and hydroxide ions (OH-) from water. Thus,
there are more than one type of cation or Galvanic or voltaic cells Parts of a electr​olytic cell
anion are present in the electr​olyte. A galvanic cell, or voltaic cell, named after (1) Battery Acts as an electron pump and
Luigi Galvani, or Alessandro Volta respec​‐ draws electrons away from the anode.
Aqueous solutions of ionic compounds tively, is an electr​och​emical cell that derives Anode becomes positively charged.
In aqueous solutions of ionic compounds, electrical energy from sponta​neous redox Electrons enter the positive terminal of the
the ionic compounds ionised to form cations reactions taking place within the cell. It battery and are ‘pumped out’ at the
& anions together with hydrogen ions (H+) generally consists of two different metals negative terminal thus the cathode
and hydroxide ions (OH-) from water. Thus, connected by a salt bridge, or individual becomes negatively charged.
there are more than one type of cation or half-cells separated by a porous
anion are present in the electr​olyte. membrane.

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 Chemistry electrolysis Cheat Sheet
by michaelysy3 via cheatography.com/82864/cs/19677/

Parts of a electr​olytic cell (cont) Simple cells Electr​olyte- molten or aqueous solution?

(2) Electrodes Conduct electr​icity. They are A simple cell is a device that converts In the solid state, ions are held in the lattice
usually carbon (i.e. graphite) rods or metal chemical energy into electrical energy. It is structure. Thus, they cannot conduct electr​‐
plates. Anode - Electrode connected to also known as an electric cell. It is made by icity. In the molten state, or in aqueous
positive terminal and is positively charged. placing two different metals in contact with solution, ions are free to move and can
Cathode - Electrode connected to negative an electr​olyte. The metals act as electrodes conduct electr​icity.
terminal and is negatively charged. for the simple cell.
(3) Electr​olyte Conducts electr​icity. It The more reactive metal (higher in electr​‐ Electr​olysis of molten compounds
contains free-m​oving ions which allow och​emical series) will become the negative Example: NaCl
electr​icity to flow through. It is a molten ionic terminal. The atom of the reactive metal will
At the anode: Negatively charged Cl– ions
compound or an aqueous solution. The lose electr​on(s) to form positive ions and
are attracted to the anode. Cl– ions lose
electr​olyte will be decomposed to form dissolves into the solution. Oxidation takes
electrons to form chlorine gas. Cl– ions are
cations and anions. Examples: dilute place.
said to be discha​rged. They are oxidized.
H2SO4, molten NaCl, CuSO4 solution. The electrons lost by the more reactive
At the cathode: Positively charged Na+ ions
metal are then moved to the other metal
are attracted to the cathode. Each Na+ ion
Electr​olysis using inert electrodes plate through the wire. As a result, current is
gains one electron to form a sodium atom.
Inert electrodes such as carbon (graphite) produced (there is a potential differ​ence)
Na+ ions are said to be discha​rged. It is
or platinum electrodes are used to prevent and the ammeter /voltmeter deflects.
reduced. Observ​ation: Silvery beads of
reactions from occurring between the The less reactive metal (lower in electr​och​‐ liquid sodium found on the cathode or found
products of electr​olysis and the electrode. emical series) will become the positive at the bottom of the container.
terminal. At the positive terminal, the
Example of electr​olysis of aqueous positive ions in the solution (elect​rolyte) will Electr​olysis using reactive electrodes
solution gain electrons (from the negative terminal)
Electrodes which react with the electr​olyte
Example: NaCl and be discha​rged.
or products of electr​olysis are called
At the anode, (1) OH– and Cl– ions are If the positive ions are less reactive than reactive electr​odes. E.g. Copper
attracted to the anode. (2) OH– ions are hydrogen, a metal coating will be formed at
example: Copper (II) sulfate using reactive
prefer​ent​ially discharged as water and the positive terminal.
copper electrodes
oxygen gas. (3) Cl– ions remain in solution. If the positive ions are more reactive than
At the anode, (1) OH– and SO42– ions are
At the cathode, (1) H+ and Na+ ions are hydrogen, efferv​escence (hydrogen gas) is
attracted to the anode. (2) Since copper is a
attracted to the cathode. (2) H+ ions are formed at the positive terminal.
reactive electrode, OH– and SO42– ions,
prefer​ent​ially discharged as hydrogen gas. In a voltaic cell, the negative terminal is the copper electrode dissolves to form Cu2+
(3) Na+ ions remain in solution. anode while the positive terminal is the ions in the solution. (3) The anode
Observ​ations: Efferv​escence of oxygen gas cathode. decreases in mass.
is seen at the anode. Oxygen gas can be
collected. Efferv​escence of hydrogen gas is Simple cell- voltage
seen at the cathode. Hydrogen gas can be The further apart the two metals are in the
collected. The ratio of volumes of oxygen to reactivity series, the greater the voltage
hydrogen is 1:2. The electr​olyte becomes produced.
more concen​trated sodium chloride solution.

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 Chemistry electrolysis Cheat Sheet
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Electr​olysis using reactive electrodes (cont)

At the cathode, (1) H+ and Cu2+ ions are attracted to the cathode.
(2) Cu2+ ions are prefer​ent​ially discharged as copper metal
(atoms). (3) The cathode increases in mass.
Observ​ations: The anode decreases in mass. The cathode
increases in mass. The colour and concen​tration of copper(II)
sulfate remain unchanged. This is because the Cu2+ ions that are
discharged at the cathode come mainly from the anode.T​here is no
net loss of Cu2+ ions from the solution.

Simple cell example

Example: Zinc- copper cell

Zinc electrode: zinc atoms being more reactive give up electrons
and go into the solution as zinc ions
The electrode from which electrons flow out is the negative
electrode, thus zinc is the negative electrode
Zinc electrode becomes smaller
Copper electrode: Cu2+ ions from the electr​olyte (CuSo4) take up
electrons to form copper metal
Copper is the positive electrode
Reddish brown copper is formed
In a simple cell, the flow of electrons is always from the more
reactive metal to the less reactive metal. The more reactive metal
becomes the negative electrode and the less reactive metal the
positive electrode.

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