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What do you suppose it would be like if you run an electric current through a glass of water? If you set it up just right, you might see bubbles of gas rising to the brim of the glass. What’s passing inside the water to make the bubbles? It’s called the electrolytic process that uses electricity to separate chemical composites/compounds.
Specifically, it’s defined as using electricity to separate chemical composites, causing the chemical response of oxidation-reduction to occur.
ELECTROLYTIC PROCESS
The electrolytic process is defined as breaking down ionic composites into their rudiments by passing an electric current. The cations undergo reduction at the cathode, and anions undergo oxidation at the anode. The main factors that are needed for conducting electrolysis are an electrolyte, electrodes, and some form of external power source is also demanded. Also, a partition similar to an ion-exchange membrane or a swab ground is used, but this is voluntary. These are used substantially to keep the products from diffusing near the contrary electrode.
There’s an interchange of ions and atoms in the electrolytic process due to the addition or discarding of electrons from the external circuit. Principally, cations move to the cathode on passing current, take electrons from the cathode (given by the force source-battery), and are discharged into the neutral atom. If the neutral atom exists in solid form, it is deposited on the cathode, and if the neutral atom exists in solid form, it moves above. This is referred to as the process of reduction, and the cation is reduced at the cathode electrode.
CELL POTENTIAL OR VOLTAGE
The minimal potential demanded by the electrolytic process depends on the capability of the individual ions to absorb or release electrons. It’s also occasionally described as decomposition potential or decomposition voltage, which is the minimum voltage (difference in electrode potential) between anode and cathode of an electrolytic cell that enables electrolysis to happen.
ENERGY CHANGES DURING ELECTROLYTIC PROCESS
In an electrolytic reaction, the electrical form of energy changes into a chemical form of energy. The potential difference required to force the electrochemical process reaction to occur is the difference in potential between the two half-reactions at the two electrodes of the cell. But actually, the potential difference in which the electrolysis reaction takes place is much higher in value.
PRODUCT OF ELECTROLYTIC PROCESS
Electrolysis of just two ions (cation and anion) present in a single electrolyte is immediate. Electrolysis will produce yields or products present in the compound. Each ion will contend for reduction and oxidation when further than one cation and anions are present. Chemical reactions with higher positive redox potentials will be reduced or oxidized, in preference, to others.
FACTORS AFFECTING ELECTROLYTIC PROCESS
i) Composition, chemical nature and state of the electrolyte.
ii) Chemical nature and electrode potential of ions present in the electrolyte.
iii) Overvoltage at the electrodes.
ELECTROLYTIC PROCESS OF WATER
The electrolytic process of water is defined as the chemical breakdown of water into hydrogen and oxygen by passing electricity through it. As the hydrogen ions in the form of hydronium ions move toward the cathode, they get annulled/neutralized by the hydroxyl ions near the cathode. Likewise, the hydroxyl ions get annulled near the anode. The product thus produced at the anode is oxygen gas, a very reactive element because of which the electrodes should be chemically inert in nature. The electrolytic process of water is a useful process as the products, hydrogen and oxygen, find numerous uses in daily life.
EXAMPLES OF ELECTROLYTIC PROCESS IN DAILY LIFE
Estimation of the original weight of substances.
Metallurgy of alkali and alkaline earth metals and compounds.
Purification of metal ores.
Manufacture of gases in their purest state.
Manufacture of composites like sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, potassium chlorate etc.
Electroplating for making metals and objects resistant to corrosion, electroplating of ornaments etc.
CONCLUSION
In this article consisting of electrolytic process notes, we learned about various concepts like electrolysis, the meaning of electrolytic process, examples in daily life related to electrolytic process, cell potential or voltage and energy changes during an electrolytic process. To better understand this chapter, other topics such as Ernst equation, Faraday’s Law of Electrolysis, electrochemical cells, and manufacturing of compounds using the electrolytic process are suggested to be read on by the student.
