4S4 6th & 8th July 20

Electrolysis of
an aqueous solution
 Learning outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you should able to:
• identify cations and anions in an aqueous
solution,
• describe the electrolysis of an aqueous solution,
• write half equations for the discharge of ions at
the anode and the cathode,
• predict the products of electrolysis of aqueous
solution.
• explain using examples factors affecting
electrolysis of an aqueous solution
 Dilute
solution

Electrolysis of an aqueous solution

Electrolyte: Molten NaCl Electrolyte: NaCl solution

Carbon
electrodes
NaCl
solution

Cations Anions
Cations Anions
Na+ Cl-
Na+ Cl- H+ OH-
 Sodium chloride solution

Cations Anions
+ Cl-
Na
+ OH -
H
 Exercise:
Solution Cations Anions
Dilute sulphuric acid H+ SO42- , OH-
H2SO4
Silver bromide solution Ag+, H+ Br- , OH-
AgBr
Sodium nitrate solution Na+, H+ NO3-, OH-
NaNO3
 Electrochemical series

a series to show the tendency of the ions to donate/ receive electrons.

Cations Anions
K+
Na+ F-
Ca2+ 2- Electrochemical
SO4 series

Easier to discharge
Mg2+
Al3+ NO3-
Zn2+ Cl-
Fe 2+
Sn2+ Br-
Pb2+ I-
H+
Cu2+ OH-
Ag+
Au+
 Homework for this week

Copy & Memorise

the ELECTROCHEMICAL SERIES

Quiz on next week

 Your
Electrochemical series own
K+ Potassium Pork Potential Pretty Pop

Na+ Sodium Sometimes Scientists Sally Stars

Ca2+ Calcium Can Can Could Can

Mg2+ Magnesium Make Make Marry Make

Al3+ Aluminium A A A Any
Zn2+ Zinc Zulu Zoo Zulu Zombie
Fe 2+ Iron ill ? in in
Sn2+ Tin Therefore Tiny Lovely Town
Pb2+ Lead Let London Peace Lose
H+ Hydrogen Highly ? Honolulu His
Cu2+ Copper Clever City Causing Control
Ag+ Silver Slay Strange ?
Au+ Gold Good Pigs Gazes ?
Anions Your own
F- Fat Flower

SO42- ‘So So

NO3- Nui’ Nice

Cl- Clean Can

Br- Brother’s Buy

I- I-phone’s In

OH- ‘O’ ready Orchard

Copper(II) sulphate, CuSO4 solution

consists of

Ions that are present

Cu2+ ions, H+ ions, SO42- ions , OH- ions
that move freely.
 CATHODE ANODE

electrodes Carbon

Competing
ions Cu2+ ions, H+ ions
Cations
selectively Cu2+ ions
discharged

Cu2+ ion is lower than H+ ions

Why?
in the electrochemistry series.

Half
equation Cu2+ + 2 e- → Cu

Observation
A brown solid is deposited
at cathode.

Products
Copper, Cu metal is formed
at the cathode.
CATHODE ANODE

Carbon electrodes

Competing
SO42- ions , OH- ions ions

Anions
OH- ions selectively
discharged

OH-ion is lower than SO42- ions

Why?
in the electrochemistry series.

Half
4OH- → O2 + 2H2O + 4 e- equation

Colourless gas bubbles

Observation
are released at anode
oxygen gas, O2 and water, H2O Products
are produced at the anode.
 Copper(II) sulphate, CuSO4 solution
consists of

Ions that are present

Cu2+ ions, H+ ions, SO42- ions , OH- ions that move freely.
CATHODE ANODE
electrodes Carbon Carbon electrodes

Competing Competing
ions Cu2+ ions, H+ ions SO42- ions , OH- ions ions

Cations Anions
selectively Cu2+ ions OH- ions selectively
discharged discharged
Cu2+ ion is lower than H+ ions OH-ion is lower than SO42- ions
Why? Why?
in the electrochemistry series. in the electrochemistry series.

Half Half
equation Cu2+ + 2 e- → Cu 4OH- → O2 + 2 H2O + 4 e- equation

Observation
A brown solid is deposited at Colourless gas bubbles are Observation
cathode. released at anode

Products Copper, Cu metal is formed at oxygen gas, O2 and water, H2O Products
the cathode. are produced at the anode.
 Describe Electrolysis of
an aqueous solution

Example:
Copper(II) sulphate, CuSO4 solution
0.1 mol dm-3
Carbon electrodes
• Copper(II) sulphate, CuSO4 solution consists of
Cu2+ ions, H+ ions, Cl2- ions and OH- ions
that move freely.

• During electrolysis,
the cations Cu2+ ions and H+ ions move to the
cathode;

the anions SO42- ions and OH- ions move to the

anode.
At CATHODE,
• Copper (II) ions , Cu2+ ions are selectively
discharged
by receiving electrons to form Cu atom.
This is because Cu2+ ions has a lower position
than H+ ions in the electrochemical series.

Cu2+ (aq) + 2 e- → Cu (s)

• A brown solid is deposited at cathode.

• Copper, Cu metal is formed at the cathode.
At ANODE,
• Hydroxide ions , OH- are selectively discharged
by donating electrons to form O2 and H2O
molecules.
This is because OH- ions has a lower position
than SO42- ions in the electrochemical series.

4OH- (aq) → O2 (g) + 2H2O(l) + 4 e-

• Colourless gas bubbles are released at anode.
(The gas relights a glowing wooden splinter.)
• Oxygen gas, O2 and water, H2O are produced at
the anode.
 Overall equation:

2Cu2+ (aq) + 4 e- → 2Cu (s)

4OH- (aq) → O2 (g) + 2H2O(l) + 4 e-

2Cu2+ (aq) + 4OH- (aq) → 2Cu (s)+ O2 (g) + 2H2O(l)

 Describe Electrolysis of
an aqueous solution

Copper(II) chloride, CuCl2 solution

0.1 mol dm-3
Carbon electrodes
 Sodium chloride solution

Cations Anions
+ Cl-
Na
+ OH -
H
 Sodium chloride Copper (II) sulphate
solution solution

Cations Anions Cations Anions

Na+ Cl- Cu2+ SO42-
H+ OH- H+
OH-

The selection of ions to be discharged is based on:

3 Factors :
• Position of ions in the electrochemical series
• Concentration of ions in the electrolytes
• Types of electrodes used in the electrolysis
 Factors that affect
the electrolysis of an aqueous solution

Factors Ions will be discharged

Position of ions The ions that are LOWER in the ELECTROCHEMICAL SERIES
in the electrochemical will be selectively discharged.
series

Concentration of ions The particular ions with HIGHER CONCENTRATION

in the electrolytes will be selectively discharged

Types of electrodes used ACTIVE ELECTRODES ionises (form ions)

in the electrolysis
 Position of ions
in the electrochemical series
Cations Anions
K+
F-
Na+
Ca2+ SO42-

Easier to discharge
Mg2+
Al3+
NO3-
which ions will be Zn2+ Cl-
SELELCTED to be Fe 2+
discharged ?
Sn2+ Br-
Pb2+ I-
H+
Cu2+ OH-
Ag+
 Observation & Product/s
CATHODE ANODE
Sodium Cations:

Carbon
0.1
Colourless gas Colourless gas
sulphate, Na+ mol
bubbles are bubbles are
Na2SO4 H+ dm-3
released. released.
solution,
Anions:
SO42-
OH- H2 gas O2 gas, water

Silver Cations: Carbon 0.1 Silvery grey Colourless gas

nitrate, Ag+ mol solid is bubbles are
AgNO3 H+ dm-3 deposited. released.
solution
Anions:
NO3- Silver, Ag
O2 gas, water
OH- metal
Concentration of ions
in the electrolytes

A A

0.001 moldm-3 1.0 moldm-3

 Products
CATHODE ANODE
Dilute HCl Cations: 0.001

Carbon
Colourless gas Colourless gas
Na+ mol
bubbles are bubbles are
H+ dm-3
released. released.
Anions:
Cl-
OH- H2 gas O2 gas, water
 Products
CATHODE ANODE
Concentrated Cations: 1.0

Carbon
HCl mol
Colourless gas Greenish-
H+ bubbles are yellow vapour
dm-3
released. is released.
Anions:
Cl-
OH- H2 gas Cl2 gas

Because:
Cl- ions have higher concentration in the electrolyte.
(even though Cl- ion has higher position than OH- ion in the
electrochemical series.)
Types of electrodes

A A

Inert electrode Active electrode

 Products Change
CATHODE ANODE in solution
CuSO4 Cations: A brown

Carbon
0.1 mol dm-3
solution, Colourless The intensity
Cu2+ solid is
gas bubbles
H+
deposited.
are released. of the blue
colour of the
Anions: electrolyte
SO42- decreases.
Copper, O2 gas,
OH- Cu metal water

INERT electrode Because:

concentration of the
blue Cu2+ ions
decreases as more
copper is deposited
at the cathode
 Observation Change
CATHODE ANODE in solution
CuSO4 Cations:
solution,

0.1 mol dm-3

Copper
Cu2+
H+
Anions:

SO42-
OH-

ACTIVE electrode
 take part in chemical reaction during electrolysis

At anode,
ions present in the electrolyte will not be discharged.
 Observation Change
CATHODE ANODE in solution

The copper The copper The intensity of

electrode electrode the blue colour of
becomes dissolves into the
the electrolyte
THICKER. solution.
The anode becomes remain unchanged.
THINNER.
Cu2+ + 2e- → Cu Cu → Cu2+ + 2e-
Discharge ionise

Because:
concentration of the blue Cu2+ ions
REMAIN UNCHANGED.
Rate of formation of Cu2+ ions at anode
= Rate of discharged of Cu2+ ions at cathode.
Glossary:

A solution produced when a

compound is dissolved in WATER.

Receive/ donate electrons

to form atoms and molecules

Form ions
 K+
Half equation
Na+
Ca2+
Mg2+
X n+ + n e- → X
Al3+
Zn2+ Eg.: Cu2+ + 2e- → Cu
Fe 2+
Sn2+
Pb2+
H+
Cu2+
Ag+
Au+
 Observations
K
Na
Ca
Mg
Al Silvery grey solid is deposited at cathode.
Zn
Fe
Sn
Pb

Cu
Brown solid is deposited at cathode.
 Half equations
F-
2 Y- → Y2 + 2 e-
Cl-
Br- Eg.: 2 Br- → Br2 + 2 e-
I-

OH- 4OH- → O2 + H2O+ 4 e-

 Observations
A greenish yellow vapour is released at anode.
Cl2 The gas turns the blue litmus paper to red and then
white.

Br2 A brown vapour is released at anode.

The gas turns the blue litmus paper to red and then
white.liquid is produced at anode.
I2
A brown

Colourless gas bubbles are released at anode.

O2 The gas relights a glowing wooden splinter.

Colourless gas bubbles are released at cathode.

H2 The gas gives a ‘pop’ sound when tested with a lighted
wooden splinter when bring near to the mouth of the
test tube.