chapter 8 - electricity and chemical change Flashcards
Describe the set up of an electric circuit
A battery, a bulb, and a rod of graphite joined or connected to each other by copper wires.
(Graphite is a form of carbon)
What is electricity?
electricity is a stream of electrons.
How do electrons move through the circuit?
The battery acts as an electron pump.
Electrons leave it through the negative terminal and enter through the battery again through the positive terminal.
(Current flows in the OPPOSITE direction as electrons,: out of positive, into negative)
Why are electricity cables made of iron and steel?
they are conductors.
Aluminum is a better conductor than steel
Why do pylons have ceramic discs?
To support the bare cables.
And ceramic is an insulator and so prevents the current from running down the pylon.
Why is copper used for wiring?
It is a very good conductor?
But the wires are sheathed in plastic and the plug cases are made of plastic for safety
How can you test if a substance conducts or not?
by connecting it into an electrical circuit in the place of the graphite rod.
if the bulb lights, then it is a conductor.
if it doesn’t, then its an insulator, or a poor conductor.
What results would you get from a conductivity test?
1- The only solids that conduct are metals and graphite.
2- Molecular substances are non-conductors.
3-Ionic substances don’t conduct when solid, but do conduct when melted or dissolved in water.
Why do metal and graphite solids conduct?
they have free/ mobile electrons.
Molten metals also conduct for the same reason (but it’s hard to test graphite because it sublimes at room temperature)
Why don’t molecular substances conduct?
They contain no free electron, or other charged particles, that can flow through them.
they never conduct, whether solid or molten or aqueous.
Why don’t ionic substances conduct when solid?
No electrons present.
And ions are not free to move.
Why do ionic substances conduct when molten or dissolved in water/
They don’t have electrons, but they do have ions.
The ions become free to move when the substance is melted or dissolved.
*define electrolysis
The breaking down of an ionic compound, when molten or in aqueous solution, by the passage of electricity.
What do we call a liquid that conducts electricity?
An electrolyte.
What is the apparatus used in electrolysis?
Electrodes.
What is the anode?
The electrode attached to the positive terminal.
What is the cathode?
The electrode attached to thee negative terminal.
Describe the electrolysis of molten ionic compounds
Electrolysis breaks the molten ionic compound down to its elements, giving the metal at the cathode, and the non-metal at the anode.
1- electrons flow along the wire, from the -tive terminal tot he cathode.
2- in the liquid, the ions carry the current. they move to the electrode of opposite charge.
3- cations (positive ion) move to the cathode (negative electrode), and accept electrons.
4- Anions (negative ions) move to the anode (positive electrode), and give up electrons.
5- electrons flow from the anode, along the wire, to the +tive terminal.
Describe the electrolysis of molten lead II bromide.
1- Electrodes are made of graphite.
2- the electrolyte is molten lead II bromide.
3- ions present in the electrolyte are Pb2+ and Br-.
4- at the cathode, Pb2+ ions accept e-. lead begins to appear below the cathode.
5-at the anode, Br- ions give up e-. Red-brow bromine vapor bubbles off.
Write the chemical equation for decomposition of lead II bromide.
(Lead II bromide decomposes when it is electrolyzed)
PbBr2 (l) —> Pb(l) + Br2(g)