Most of the electrolytes are wither liquid (molten) ionic compounds or the

aqueous solution of ionic compounds.

Figure below shows the arrangement of ions of solid sodium chloride,
molten sodium chloride and aqueous solution of sodium chloride.
In solid, the ions are not free to move whereas in liquid (molten) and in
aqueous solution, the ions can move freely.

ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL

VOLTAIC/GALVANIC CELL
In voltaic cell, chemical is used to produce electricity. In this cell,
chemical energy is converted to electrical energy.

ELECTROLYTIC CELL
In electrolytic cell, electric current is flowed through an electrolyte to
produce a chemical reaction. Electrical energy is converted to
chemical energy, and the process is called electrolysis.
There are 2 electrodes in an electrolytic cell:
The electrode connected to the positive terminal of the cell is
positive electrode and is given a name, anode.
The electrode connected to the negative terminal of the cell is
negative electrode and is called the cathode.

Electrolysis Of
Molten Ionic
Compound

 The ions in the electrolyte must be free to move to the

electrodes for electrolysis to work.
They are free to move in aqueous solution and in
molten liquids.
However, the ions are in fixed positions in solid ionic
compounds
- they cannot move around, so electrolysis does not
work in
solids.

Ions in ionic solids are arranged in a giant lattice

and cannot move around

 When a molten
electrolysed:

(melted)

ionic

compound

is

The positive ions are discharged at the cathode

The negative ions are discharged at the anode
For example, during the electrolysis of molten lead
bromide:
-lead ions, Pb2+, move to the cathode and are
discharged as lead
-bromide ions, Br, move to the anode and are
discharged as bromine
Half equations
-You should be able to write half equation for the

Electrolysis Of
Aqueous
Solution

 In the electrolysis of aqueous

solution only one ion involved in
the selective discharge of ions at
each
electrode
during
the
electrolysis and their ions are free
to move.
Theirs ion are cation and anion.

 The positive ion are attracted to the negative electrode

The negative ion are attracted to the positive ion

The ion is selected for discharge

at an electrode depend on a
number of factors, that is:
Position of the ions in the
electrochemical series
Nature of electrode
Concentration of the ions in the
solution

Position of ions in electrochemical

series:
The figure shows an
idealized drawing
of a cell in which an
aqueous solution
of sodium sulphates
electrolyzed

Electrochemical
Series

INDUSTRIAL
APPLICATIONS OF
ELECTROLYSIS

EXTRACTION OF
SILVER

Silver is extracted from the ore-argentite (Ag2S).

The process of extraction of silver is
called as cyanide process as sodium cyanide solution is used.
The ore is crushed, concentrated and then treated with
sodium cyanide solution. This reaction forms sodium argentum
Na[Ag(CN)2].

cyanide

AgS+4NaCN2Na[Ag(CN)2]+Na2S
The solution of sodium argentum cyanide combines with zinc dust and forms
sodium tetra cyanozicate and precipitated silver.
This precipitated silver is called spongy silver.
Zn+2Na[Ag(CN)2]Na2[Zn(CN)4]+2Ag
The spongy silver is fused with potassium nitrate to obtain pure silver.
Then the silver obtained is purified by electrolytic process.

ELECTROPLATING
Electroplating is the process of plating one
metal onto another by hydrolysis, most
commonly for decorative purposes or to
prevent corrosion of a metal. There are also
specific types of electroplating such as
copper plating, silver plating, and chromium
plating. Electroplating allows manufacturers
to use inexpensive metals such as steel or
zinc for the majority of the product and then
apply different metals on the outside to
account for appearance, protection, and

 The cathode would be the piece to be plated and the

anode would be either a sacrificial anode or an inert
anode, normally either platinum or carbon (graphite form).
Sometimes plating occurs on racks or barrels for efficiency
when plating many products. Please refer to electrolysis
for more information. In the figure below, the Ag+ions are
being drawn to the surface of the screw and it eventually
becomes plated. The process is undergone using silver as
the anode, and a screw as the cathode. The electrons are
transferred from the anode to the cathode and is
underwent in a solution containing silver.

Voltaic cell
1. A cell that produces electrical energy when chemical reactions occur in it.
2. Energy changes in voltaic cell is chemical energy to electrical energy.
3. Produced when two different metals are dipped in an electrolyte and are
connected by an external circuit.
4. The voltage of chemical cell depends on the distance between the two metals
in the electrochemical series, where the further the distance between them, the
higher is the voltage.
5. A more electropositive metal become the negative terminal of the cell. A less
electropositive metal become positive terminal:

Negative Terminal

Positive Terminal

More
electropositive
metal.

Less
electropositive
metal.

Metal atom will

release electrons
that will flow
through the
external circuit.
Metal atom
becomes metal ion
(becomes
thinner)

The electron that

flow from the
external circuit are
received by the
positive ion in the
electrolyte through
this terminal.

Daniell cell
it is an example of voltaic cell which consists of zinc electrode dipped in
Zinc Sulphate solution, copper electrode dipped in copper (II) Sulphate
solution and connected by a salt bridge or porous pot.
The function of porous pot or salt bridge is to allow the flow of ions
through it so that the electric circuit is completed.

To predict
the
terminal of
chemical
cell

To predict
the
selected
ion
discharged
at the
electrode

Main
Uses of
Electroly
sis

To predict
the metal
displacem
ent
reaction

To Predict
the voltage
of
chemical
cell