Electrolysis Flashcards
What is an electrolyte?
An ionic substance with freely moving ions
What is oxidation?
At the anode, where negative ions lose electrons and the gain of oxygen
What is reduction?
At the cathode, where electrons are gained from the electrode to the positive ions and the loss of oxygen
What do ions become at the cathode?
They become atoms
What do ions become at the anode?
They become molecules
What do half equations show?
The change at each electrode
What does inert mean?
Unreactive
Where is the metal produced in the electrolysis of molten salt?
Cathode
Where is the non-metal produced in the electrolysis of molten salt?
Anode
What is an acronym to remember the Reactivity series?
Please Stop Calling Me A Careless Zebra Instead Try Learning How Copper Saves Gold
What are displacement reactions also?
Redox reactions - one substance is oxidised and another is reduced
What is extraction?
The process of obtaining a metal from its ore
What is an ore?
A rock that contains enough of a compound to extract a metal for profit
What is a problem with electrolysis?
A lot of energy is needed to keep metal oxides molten for it, making it extremely expensive; and so electrolysis is only used to extract very reactive metals that can’t be obtained by heating their oxides with carbon
What does bioleaching use?
Bacteria grown on a low grade ore; this produces a solution cotnaing copper ions, called a leachate, and then is extracted using displacement using scrap iron, then purified by electrolysis
What does phytoextraction involve?
Growing plants that absorb metal compounds; they are burn to form ash from which the metal is extracted
What is a disadvantage of both bioleaching and phytoextraction?
It is very slow
What is the problem with bioleaching?
Toxic substances can be produced and damage the environment
What is the problem with phytoextraction?
Expensive and growing plants is dependent on weather conditions
What are advanatges of bioleaching and phytoextraction?
Bioleaching - doesn’t require high temperatures
Phytoextraction - can extract metals drom contaminated soils
Both - no harmful gases are produced, less damage to landscape then mining and conserves supplies of higher grade ores
When does corrosion happen?
When a metal react with oxygen, making the metal weaker over time; metal gains oxygen and so is oxidised
What is rusting?
The corrosion of iron or steel