Electrolysis Flashcards
what ions does water naturally form
OH- and H+
what is a cation
a positively charged ion
what is an anion
a negatively charged ion
what is the cathode
the negatively charged electrode that attracts cations
what is the anode
the positively charged electrode that attracts anions
what is electrolysis
the process used to decompose and separate ionic compounds using electrical energy
why do some substances need to be molten for electrolysis
so that the ions are free to move around
what is an electrolyte
the ionic compound that is in its molten or dissolved state
what happens at the anode
anions lose electrons (Oxidisation)
what happens at the cathode
cations gain electrons (reduction)
when is hydrogen produced at the cathode during the electrolysis of a solution
if the metal compound contains metals that are more reactive than hydrogen
when is oxygen produced at the anode during the electrolysis of a solution
only produced if there are no halide ions present
