Chemistry Electrolysis

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1.9 Electrolysis
Question Paper
Course Edexcel IGCSE Chemistry

Section 1. Principles of Chemistry
Topic 1.9 Electrolysis
Difficulty Hard
Time Allowed 80
Score /65
Percentage /100
Page 1 of 18
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Question 1a
Separate: Chemistry Only
This question is about the metal aluminium.
Aluminium is malleable and conducts electricity.
The diagram shows the arrangement of the ions in aluminium metal.
i) Explain why aluminium is malleable.

(2)
ii) Explain why aluminium conducts electricity.
(2)
[4 marks]
Page 2 of 18
Question 1b
Aluminium cannot be extracted by heating a mixture of carbon and aluminium oxide.
Give a reason why heating a mixture of aluminium oxide and carbon does not produce aluminium.
[1 mark]
Page 3 of 18
Question 1c
Aluminium is extracted industrially by the electrolysis of molten aluminium oxide Al2O3 at a temperature of about 950 °C.
Aluminium metal forms at the negative electrode and oxygen gas forms at the positive electrode. The positive and
negative electrodes are made of graphite.
The diagram shows the apparatus used.
i) Explain how aluminium metal forms at the negative electrode.

(2)
ii) Write an ionic half-equation for the formation of oxygen gas at the positive electrode.
(1)
.............................................................. → ..............................................................
iii) Suggest why carbon dioxide gas is also produced at the positive electrode.
(2)
[5 marks]
Page 4 of 18
Question 1d
Aluminium reacts with iron(III) oxide. The reaction is exothermic.
The equation for the reaction is

2Al + Fe2O3 → Al2O3 + 2Fe
i) State how the equation shows that iron(III) oxide is reduced.
(1)
ii) Draw an energy level diagram for the reaction between aluminium and iron(III) oxide.
(3)
[4 marks]
Page 5 of 18
Question 2a
The diagram shows how hydrogen gas and chlorine gas can be prepared in the laboratory by electrolysis of a
concentrated solution of sodium chloride.
i) Give a test for hydrogen gas.

(1)
ii) Give a test for chlorine gas.

(2)
[3 marks]
Page 6 of 18
Question 2b
The ionic half-equation for the formation of chlorine at the positive electrode is
2Cl− → Cl2 + 2e−
i) State why this reaction is an oxidation reaction.

(1)
ii) Give the ionic half-equation for the formation of hydrogen at the negative electrode.
(1)
iii) State why it is safer to do this electrolysis in a fume cupboard.

(1)
iv) Suggest why the volume of chlorine collected during this electrolysis is less than the volume of hydrogen collected.
(1)
[4 marks]
Page 7 of 18
Question 2c
In the chemical industry, chlorine can be produced by the electrolysis of molten sodium chloride. The overall equation for
this reaction is
2NaCl (l) → 2Na (l) + Cl2 (g)

i) Explain why sodium chloride needs to be molten rather than solid for electrolysis to occur.
(2)
ii) Calculate the maximum volume, in dm3, of chlorine gas at rtp that can be obtained from 23.4 tonnes of molten
sodium chloride.
[1 tonne = 106 g] [Mr of NaCl = 58.5]
[molar volume of chlorine at rtp = 24 dm3]
Give your answer in standard form.

(4)
volume = ........................................... dm3

[6 marks]
Page 8 of 18
Question 3a
Explain why metals conduct electricity but covalent compounds do not conduct electricity.
[4 marks]
Question 3b
Hydrogen chloride, HCl, is a covalent substance. When hydrogen chloride is added to water, a solution of dilute
hydrochloric acid is formed. This solution does conduct electricity. Name the type of particle in the solution of the dilute
hydrochloric acid that allows it to conduct electricity.
[1 mark]
Page 9 of 18
Question 3c
The teacher uses this apparatus to investigate the electrolysis of a solution of dilute hydrochloric acid. The ammeter
measures the current.
The teacher wants to find out if there is a relationship between current and volume of gas collected at each
electrode.
She adjusts the power supply until the current is 0.1 amp.
After 5 minutes she records the volume of gas collected in syringe X and syringe Y.
The teacher repeats the experiment several times, using a different current each time.
The table gives the teacher’s results for syringe Y.
Current in amp 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8
Volume of gas in cm3 8 15 22 25 37 44 52 60
Page 10 of 18
i) Plot the results for syringe Y. (1)

ii) Draw a circle around the anomalous result.
(1)
iii) Draw a line of best fit.
(1)
Page 11 of 18
iv) Explain a possible cause of the anomalous result, other than misreading the apparatus.
(2)
Page 12 of 18
v) Deduce the relationship between current and volume of gas collected in syringe Y.
(1)
[6 marks]
Page 13 of 18
Question 3d
The ionic half-equation for the reaction that produces the gas in syringe X is
2Cl–→ Cl2 + 2e–
The ionic half-equation for the reaction that produces the gas in syringe Y is
2H+ + 2e– → H2
i) Suggest how these ionic half-equations show that the volume of chlorine collected in syringe X should be the same
as the volume of hydrogen collected in syringe Y.
(1)
ii) Suggest why the volume of chlorine collected in syringe X is always less than the volume of hydrogen collected in
syringe Y.
(1)
[2 marks]
Question 4a
A teacher prepares the insoluble salt lead(II) bromide (PbBr2) by mixing solutions of lead(II) nitrate and sodium bromide.
Describe what the teacher should do next to obtain a pure, dry sample of lead(II) bromide.
[3 marks]
Page 14 of 18
Question 4b
The teacher then sets up a circuit in a fume cupboard using the pure, dry sample of lead(II) bromide.
Explain why the lamp does not light when the lead(II) bromide is solid.
[2 marks]
Page 15 of 18
Question 4c
The teacher heats the lead(II) bromide.
When the lead(II) bromide is molten, the lamp lights and bromine forms at the positive electrode.
i) State what observation would be made at the positive electrode.

(1)
ii) Explain how bromide ions in the molten lead(II) bromide become bromine molecules at the positive electrode.
(4)
[5 marks]
Question 4d
Write an ionic half-equation for the reaction that occurs at the negative electrode.
Include state symbols in your equation.

[2 marks]
Page 16 of 18
Question 5a
This question is about sodium chloride.
Describe the structure and bonding in sodium chloride.
[4 marks]
Question 5b
Describe, in terms of electrons and with the help of suitable equations, what happens during the electrolysis of molten
sodium chloride.
[4 marks]
Question 5c
The products of electrolysis of molten sodium chloride are different to those of aqueous sodium chloride.
Explain the different products from the electrolysis of aqueous sodium chloride.
[2 marks]
Page 17 of 18
Question 5d
Nuclear submarines can stay underwater for months without needing to come to the surface.
Oxygen for the crew to breathe is produced using a piece of equipment called an automated electrolytic oxygen
generator.
Many people assume that seawater is electrolysed to produce the oxygen, this assumption is incorrect.
Explain why the assumption is not only incorrect but potentially hazardous and how the oxygen can be produced by
electrolysis.
[3 marks]
Page 18 of 18

Chemistry Electrolysis

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Course Edexcel IGCSE Chemistry

The diagram shows the arrangement of the ions in aluminium metal.

i) Explain why aluminium is malleable.

The diagram shows the apparatus used.

i) Explain how aluminium metal forms at the negative electrode.

The equation for the reaction is

i) Give a test for hydrogen gas.

ii) Give a test for chlorine gas.

2Cl− → Cl2 + 2e−

i) State why this reaction is an oxidation reaction.

iii) State why it is safer to do this electrolysis in a fume cupboard.

2NaCl (l) → 2Na (l) + Cl2 (g)

Give your answer in standard form.

volume = ........................................... dm3

The table gives the teacher’s results for syringe Y.

i) Plot the results for syringe Y. (1)

2Cl–→ Cl2 + 2e–

i) State what observation would be made at the positive electrode.

Include state symbols in your equation.

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