Period 1: electrolysis and

elctrolyte
OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson, the students will be
able to:
 Define electrolysis
 State the differences between (i) electrolyte and non-
electrolyte (ii) Strong electrolyte and weak electrolyte
 Describe the components of electrolytic cell.
electrolysis
Electrolysis is the chemical
decomposition of an ionic compound,
when molten or in aqueous solution, by
the passage of an electric current. In
other words, electrolysis is the
decomposition of an electrolyte by
the passage of an electric current.
Electrolysis breaks the molten ionic
compound down to its elements, giving
the metal at the cathode, and the non-
metal at the anode.
 Electrolyte and non-electrolyte

Electrolyte: An electrolytes is a compound which can conduct

electricity in the molten form or in aqueous solution by means of
its mobile ions. Examples of electrolytes are acids, alkalis and
salt.
Non-eletrolyte: Is a compound which cannot conduct electricity
either in the molten form or aqueous solution because it is made
up of molecules. Examples of non-electrolytes which are mainly
covalent organic compound include ethanol, benzene, urea, sugar
cane, ether, trichloromethane and tetrachloromethane.
Strong Electrolyte: A strong electrolyte is one which ionized
completely in solution e.g solution of mineral acids.
HCl(aq) H+ (aq) + Cl-(aq)
 electrolysis
Weak electrolyte: A weak electrolyte is one which ionize only
slightly and so do not conduct electricity readily. E.g ethanoic
acid, zinc hydroxide, carbonic acid, and ammonium hydroxide,
hydrofluoric acid, HF, hydrocyanic acid, HCN, nitrous acid,HNO2,
sulfurous acid, H2SO3, chlorous acid, HClO2 etc.
ELECTROLYTIC CELL

An electrolytic cell is a cell

that converts electrical
potential energy to chemical
potential energy by using
electricity to drive a non-
spontaneous chemical
reaction. It is used for the
electrolysis of a substance.
 Electrolytic cell
Electrodes refer to anode and cathode of an electrolytic cell
by which an electric current enters and leaves the electrolyte.
Electrode can be inert or active. Inert electrode is one that
does not change or get involved during the electrolysis e.g
platinum and carbon. Active electrode is one which undergoes a
chemical change during electrolysis. E.g Cu anode during the
electrolysis of CuSO4 solution.
Cathode is the negative electrode in an electrolytic cell by
which the conventional current leaves the electrolyte or pole by
which electrons enter the electrolyte. Cations undergo
reduction by electron gain equal to the cation charge.
Anode is the positive electrode in an electrolytic cell by which
the conventional current enter the electrolyte or pole by which
electrons leave the electrolyte. Anions undergo oxidation by
electron loss equal to the anions charge.
FACTORS AFFECTING DISCHARGE OF
IONS DURING ELECTROLYSIS
 Position of ion in the electrochemical series
 The concentration of the ion in the
electrochemical series
 Nature of the electrode.
ELECTROLYSIS of molten lead(II)
bromide Using graphite as electrode
At the cathode(-):
Pb2+ and H+ migrate to the cathode,Pb2+ ions accept electrons due to its
high concentration than H+. Lead begins to appear below the cathode.
Pb2+(aq) + 2e Pb(s)
At the anode(+) :
Br - and OH- migrate to the anode, the Br - ions give up electrons due to its
high concentration than OH- , oxidized. Red-brown bromine vapour bubbles
off.
2Br –
(aq) Br2(g) + 2e
Overall half-ionic equation:
Pb2+(aq) + 4Br –
(aq) 2Br2(g) + Pb(s)
 ELECTROLYSIS of CONCENTRATED sodium
chlorine (brine) Using carbon as electrode
At the cathode(-):
Na+ and H+ migrate to the cathode, H+ ions accept electrons due to its
lower position in the series than Na+. Hydrogen atom combine another
hydrogen atom to form hydrogen gas.
H+(aq) + e- H; H + H H2(g)
At the anode(+) :
Cl- and OH- migrate to the anode, the Cl - ions give up electrons due to its
high concentration and lower position in the series than OH- , oxidized.
Greenish-yellow chlorine vapour or gas bubbles off.
2Cl –(aq) Cl2(g) + 2e-
Overall half-ionic equation:
2H+(aq) + 2Cl –(aq) H2(g) + Cl2(g)
ELECTROLYSIS of DILUTE SULFURIC ACID Using
Platinum/carbon or graphite as electrode
At the cathode(-):
4H+(aq) + 4e- 2H2(g)
At the anode(+) :
SO42- and OH- migrate to the anode, the OH- ions give up electrons due
to its high concentration than SO42-, oxidized to OH-group . Two OH –
groups react to form one molecule of water and one atom of oxygen.
Gaseous oxygen is produced when the oxygen atoms combine in pairs.
4OH – (aq) 2H2O(l) + O2(g) + 4e-
Overall half-ionic equation:
4H2O(l) 4H+(aq) + 4OH – (aq) 2H2(g) + 2H2O(l) + O2(g)
ELECTROLYSIS of copper (ii)
TETRAOXOSULPHATE (VI) SOLUTION
OTHER ELECTROLYSIS EXAMPLE
 USES OF ELECTROLYSIS

1. Extraction of highly electropositive metals such as K,

Na, Ca, Mg an Al from their ores.
2. Purification of metals(e.g Cu, Hg, Ag, Au)
3. Electroplating of one metal by another e.g iron using
zinc
4. Preparation of certain important compounds such as
sodium hydroxide and sodium trioxochlorate(v).
5. Industrial production of some gases such as H2, F2
and Cl2 from their fused salts or their aqueous
solutions.
 Faraday’s Laws oF ELEctroLysis
The first law states that mass of a substance produced during electrolysis is
directly proportional to the quantity of electricity used up.
M∝Q
𝑀1 𝑀2
=
𝑄1 𝑄2

Faraday’s second law states that when the same quantity of electricity is passed
through electrolytes in electrolytic cells connected in series, the number of moles
of the element produced in each cell is inversely proportional to the charge on the
ion of the element.
1
Amount in mole, n ∝
𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒

nc = constant n1c1 = n2c2

𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝐴 𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝐶ℎ𝑒𝑚𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝐴
=
𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝐵 𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝐶ℎ𝑒𝑚𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝐵
𝑅𝐴𝑀
Where chemical equivalent (C.E) =
𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦
caLcuLation invoLving Faraday’s
Laws of Electrolysis
Example 1: Calculate the mass of copper deposited by
passing 100A current for 40 minutes through an electrolytic
cell of copper(ii) tetraoxosulphate(vi) solution. [F = 96500C,
Cu =64]
Example 2: 0.325g of a metal X was deposited when 0.5
ampere current flowed through a tetraoxosulphate (vi)
solution of X for 32 minutes 10 seconds. Calculate the charge
on the ion of the metal X. [F=96500C, X=65]
Example 3: The mass of Al produced by the same quantity
of electricity which produces 3.6g of Ag from AgNo3
solution is? [ Al =27, Ag = 108]
 assignment
1. Calculate the number of faradays of electricity required to
liberate: (i) 21.3 g of copper (ii) 4.48dm3 of oxygen at s.t.p (iii) 5.2
dm3 of fluorine gas at s.t.p. [Cu =64, GMV = 22.4 dm3 s.t.p]
2. A solution of copper (ii) tetraoxosulphate (vi) was electrolyzed
between copper electrodes and the following results were obtained:
Mass of anode before electrolysis = 14.40 g
Mass of anode after electrolysis = 8.00 g
Mass of cathode before electrolysis = 11.50 g
(i) What was the mass of cathode after electrolysis?
(ii) Would you expect a change in colour of the solution after
electrolysis? Explain your answer
(iii) If the electrolysis above was carried out for 1 hr 20 minutes with
a current of 4A flowing, determine the value of the Faraday. [Cu =
64]
 hydrogen–oxygen fuel cell
A fuel cell is a device that generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction, not
combustion. In a fuel cell, hydrogen and oxygen are combined to generate electricity,
heat, and water.
Advantages over petrol engine
Hydrogen fuel cells do not generate greenhouse gas emissions as for fossil fuel sources,
thus reducing pollution and improving air quality as a result. No vehicle emissions other
than water vapor. Fuel economy equivalent to about twice that of gasoline vehicles.
Hydrogen is abundant, and can be made from renewable energy. It is convenient for
heavy transport and trains.
The disadvantages of using hydrogen as fuel
 If it is “grey”, it pollutes. If it is not produced using renewable sources, hydrogen
pollutes.
 It is a gas that is difficult to handle.
 It is less advantageous than electric power for cars.
 This space-age technology is expensive.
Galvanic or voltaic
CELL

An galvanic or voltaic cell is an

electrochemical cell that
converts chemical potential
energy to electrical potential
energy through spontaneous
chemical(redox) reaction. It is
used for producing an electric
current from a chemical
reaction.
E.C.S in galvanic cell
Period 2: electrochemical
cell and cell notation
OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:
 Deduce nature of anode and cathode using electrochemical series
 Draw galvanic cell using cell notation
 State the functions of salt bridge
 Solve problems involving redox electrode potential
 State the difference between primary and secondary cell with
examples.
Cell notation
Galvanic cell diagram above takes the general form:
Anode/Anode electrolyte//Cathode electrolyte/Cathode
For example: Zn/ZnSO4 // CuSO4/Cu or Zn/Zn2+ // C2+ / Cu
The single slant line indicates physical contact between species in
different phases or physical stat. A double line indicate salt bridge.
Function of Salt bridge
1. To maintain electrical neutrality in each half-cell
2. To allow cations and anions move from one electrode compartment
to the other.
Anode is negative while cathode is positive in electrochemical or
galvanic cell. Oxidation occur at the anode while reduction occur at
the cathode.
STANDARD ELECTRODE POTENTIAL
This is the potential difference set up between a metal and
the solution of its ion (in 1 mole per dm3) at 25oC with
reference to standard hydrogen electrode which is 0 volt.
Electrode potential depends upon the nature of the
electrode, the concentration of its ions in solution and
temperature.
Any element with a negative electrode potential is a good
reducing agent.
Any element with positive electrode potential is a good
oxidizing agent.
The electromotive force(E.m.f)
of a cell
𝐸 𝜃 = 𝐸𝐶𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑑𝑒
𝜃 𝜃
− 𝐸𝐴𝑛𝑜𝑑𝑒 = 𝐸𝑟𝑒𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑒𝑑
𝜃 𝜃
− 𝐸𝑂𝑥𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑧𝑒𝑑
Example 1: Considered the cell representation given below
Zn/Zn2+ // Cu2+ / Cu
1. Calculate the E.M.F of the cell for the reaction.
Zn/Zn2+ 𝐸 𝜃 =-0.76V
C2+/Cu 𝐸 𝜃 =+0.34V
2. Draw the electrochemical cell for the reaction.
3. Write down the cell equation
4. Comment on your value of E.M.F
The electromotive force(E.m.f)
of a cell
Example 2: Considered the cell representation given below
Zn/Zn2+ // Ag+ / Ag
1. Calculate the E.M.F of the cell for the reaction.
Zn/Zn2+ 𝐸 𝜃 =-0.76V
Ag +/Ag 𝐸 𝜃 =+0.80V
2. What does the double stroke represent?
3.Which of the half-cells has a positive sign?
4. Write down the cell equation
5. Calculate the E.M.F of the cell
PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CELL
The cells from which the electric energy is derived from
an irreversible chemical reaction are called primary
cells. Examples of a primary cell are leclanche cells,
Daniel cells, dry cells, westen cell, alkaline zinc-
manganese dioxide cell etc; while the cells from which
the electric energy is derived from a reversible
chemical reaction are called secondary cell examples of
secondary cells include a lead-acid accumulator, nickel
cadmium (NiCd), nickel metal hydride (NiMH), lithium ion
(Li-ion) etc.