Electrolysis

Question 1

What is the difference between a galvanic cell and an electrolytic cell?

Answer 1

Galvanic Cell: It uses spontaneous reactions to produce an electric current.
Electrolytic Cell: Uses an electric current to drive non-spontaneous reactions (pumping electrons to force the production of a reaction to happen)

Question 2

What are the fundamentals of the electrolytic cells?

Answer 2

• reduction occurs at the cathode (red cats)
• electrons are gained at the cathode
• positive ions flow towards the cathode
• the cathode is connected to the negative terminal (electricity is pumped into the negative cathode terminal)
• the strongest oxidant |🔝 reacts with the strongest reactant |🔻
• red cats are sad to be electrocuted.

Question 3

How do you predict the products of an electrolysis?

Answer 3

1. Write down all the reactions that occur at the anode and cathode separately.
2. On the electrochemical series the right side is for the anode and the left side is for the cathode.
3. For the cathode find the highest reaction (strongest) and for the anode find the lowest reaction present (strongest).
4. Choose the strongest oxidant (most positive E value)- this will undergo reduction- will occur at the negative cathode. Choose the strongest reductant ( bottom right hand corner)- most negative E vale, this will undergo oxidation at the positive anode

Question 4

True or False: Electrolysis converts electrical energy into chemical energy.

Answer 4

True

Question 5

What are the types of electrodes that can be used in electrolysis cells?

Answer 5

Inert and reactive.
Inert: the electrode doesn’t participate in the reaction.
Reactive: The electrode does participate in the reaction.

Question 6

What is an electrolyte?

Answer 6

It’s the solution (conducting liquid) that is in the the electrolysis procedure.