⭐️SC10, SC11, SC12, SC13-electrolysis, transition metals, reversible reactions Flashcards
What is an electrolyte?
An ionic substance with freely moving ions and so can conduct electricity
What is electrolysis?
Using energy transferred by electricity to decompose electrolytes
What are the two types of ions and what electrode do they move to?
-cations are positively charged and move to the negative cathode
Anions are negatively charged and move to fee positive anode
How can you prove positive ions go to negative cathode and vise versa?
By placing purple potassium magnganate crystal on a piece of damp filter paper attached to a microscope slide and connected to a DC electric supply, the purple colour will spread towards the anode
What happens to ions in terms of the electrons at each cathode and what is each process called?
At the anode, negative ions loose electrons which is oxidation
At the cathode electrons are transferred from electrode to positive ion so it gains electrons
What does oxidation and reduction do to the ions at the electrodes?
It changes charged ions into atoms or molecules resulting in chemical changes at the electrodes
What type of electrolysis uses inert (unreactive) electrodes?
Electrolysis of molten or dissolved ionic salts
What material electrodes are used when electrolysing molten lead bromine?
Usually platinum or graphite electrodes because molten lead bromine is a dissolved ionic salt and needs electrodes to be inert
How is copper purified through electrolysis?
- the copper needing to be purified is used at the anode and the pure one is used at the cathode, in an electrolyte of copper sulphate solution
- copper is one dissolve in the solution and go to the cathode so anode looses mass and the cathode gains mass.
- Impurities from the anode collect under it as a sludge
Why may anode sludge after electrolysis of copper sulphate solution be collected?
Because it could contain valuable metallic elements
What are the half equations at each electrode in the electrolysis of copper sulphate solution?
Anode:
Cu -> Cu2+ - 2e-
Cathode:
Cu2+ + 2e- -> Cu
In electrolysis of salt solution? How do you know if the positive ions or hydrogen ions become atoms at the cathode?
The more reactive ion stays in the solution
At the anode, how do you determine wether a hydroxide ion of the negative salt ion forms?
The salt forms if it’s a halogen so either f+ or cl- otherwise the OH- forms (get their checked)
What do the metals that react with cold water form?
Metal hydroxide and hydrogen
What do the metals that react with steam form?
Hydrogen and a solid metal oxide
What happens if a metal reacts with dilute acids? What can this tell you about the metal?
It forms hydrogen and a salt solution and bubbles of gas will be seen. The more bubbles the more reactive the metal
What does it mean if a metal is higher in the reactivity series in terms of electrons
The higher the metal in the reactivity series, the more easier it looses electrons
How do displacement reactions work?
The more reactive metal displaces the less reactive metal in the salt e.g.
Zn + CuSO4 -> Cu + ZnSO4
What are displacement reactions also known as?
Redox reactions
How do you write ionic equations?
- Write out the full balanced symbol equation with state symbols
- Split the aqueous ionic compounds into the ions they contain
- Cancel the spectator ions
- Write the equation that’s left
What is extraction?
The process of obtaining a metal from it’s naturally occurring compound
What is an ore.
A rock that contains enough of a compound to extract a metal for profit
How is iron extracted from its ore and what’s this ore called
Haematite is the ore iron is extracted from by heating the iron oxide with carbon as carbon is more reactive than iron and displaces it
How do you extract metals from their ores if they are more reactive than carbon? Give an example
With electrolysis for example aluminium comes from the ore bauxite and is extracted by the electrolysis of aluminium oxide
Why is electrolysis not used in large scale extraction of zinc
As zinc is less reactive than carbon so can be extracted using a displacement reaction and keeping metal oxides molten for electrolysis requires a lot of energy making it extremely expensive
What is bioleaching? Describe the steps involved of bioleaching to obtain copper
A method of metal extraction
- Bacteria is grown on a low grade ore producing a solution containing the copper ions called the leachate
- The copped is ectracted from the leachate by a displacement reaction using scrap iron
- The copper is then purified using electrolysis
What is phytoextraction?
Where you grow plants that absorb metal compounds and then burn them to form ash from which the metal is extracted
Give advantages and disadvantages of bioleaching
Adv:
-doesn’t require high temps
-no harmful gases produced
-causes less damage to the landscape than mining
-conserves supplies of higher grade ores
Disadv:
-very slow
-toxic substances like sulphuric acid can be produced and damage the environment
Give advantages and disadvantages of phytoextraction
Adv:
-no harmful gases produced
-causes less damage to the landscape than mining
-conserves supplies of higher grade ores
-can extract metals from contaminated soils
Disadv:
-very slow
-more expensive than mining some ores
-growing plants is dependant on weather conditions
What’s oxidation and reduction in terms of oxygen?
Oxidation is the gain of oxygen
Reduction is the loss of oxygen from a substance
What are redox reactions?
Reactions where oxidation and reduction occur?
When oxidation occurs…
Reduction occurs at the same time and so when one substance is oxidised, the other is reduced
What happens in the electrolysis of aluminium oxide to get aluminium?
The Al3+ ions are attracted to the cathode where they gain electrons to become Al and the O2- ions are attracted to the anode where they loose electrons to become O2.
What are the half equations for electrolysis of aluminium oxide to get aluminium?
Cathode: Al3+ + 3e -> Al
Anode: 2O2- -> O2 + 4e
What is the electrolyte when obtaining aluminium using electrolysis?
Aluminium oxide mixed with cryolite as this lowers the high melting point of 2000°C. The lower melting point reduced the amount of energy needed and saves money
In electrolysis of aluminium oxide, why must the anode be regularly replaced?
As At high temps, the oxygen reacts with the graphite anode to form carbon dioxide as graphite is made of carbon hydrogen
What is corrosion?
When a metal reacts with oxygen making the metal weaker over time
What process happens in corrosion?
Oxidation as the metal gains oxygen
What is rusting? What does it require?
The corrosion of iron that requires water as well as oxygen
Why do some fairly reactive metals not corrode quickly?
As they tarnish where their surfaces form a protective oxide layer that prevents further reaction
Give 3 advantages of recycling
- natural reserves of metal ores will last linger
- less waste metal ends up in landfill sites
- the need to mine ores is reduced which is good as mining damages the landscape and creates noise and dust pollution
Give disadvantages of recycling
It can take a lot of energy and ninety to transport, collect and sort the metals to be recycled