Title: Electrolytic Cell Electrolysis of Aqueous Solution.

Objectives:
a) To identify the reactions occurring at the anode and the cathode
during the electrolysis of various aqueous salt solutions.
b) To observe the electrolysis of water and the gases liberated at the
electrodes.
c) To study the suitable electrode and aqueous solution for water
splitting process.
Introduction:
Procedure:
1. Two different colours of wires were attached to crocodile clips to a
direct current (DC) power supply. A glass U-tube was clamped at a retort
stand as Figure 2.1. The alligator clips were connected to the
corresponding electrodes, listed in Table 2.1.
Figure 2.1
Table 2.1: Electrolytic Cell for Study
SolutionElectrodes (Anode and Cathode)Distilled waterCarbon
(Graphite)0.001 M NaClCarbon (Graphite)0.5 M NaClCarbon (Graphite)0.5 M
NaBrCarbon (Graphite)0.5 M Na2SO4Polished Copper Metal Strips0.5 M
Na2SO4Carbon (Graphite)

2. Electrolyze the Solutions

The U-tube was filled three-fourths full with a solution from Table 2.1
and 10 drops of phenolphtalein were added. The solution was analyzed at
6V for 5 minutes. The suggested electrodes were used. During the
electrolysis, each electrode was looking closely to see any evidence of a
reaction in the anode and cathode chamber.
Results:
Table 1
Electrolyte solutionElectrodesObservations (ie: Gas evolved? Pink colour
at electrode?)Distilled waterCarbon/Carbon (C/C)Anode Cathode0.001 M
NaClCarbon/Carbon (C/C)AnodeCathode0.5 M NaClCarbon/Carbon
(C/C)AnodeCathode0.5 M NaBrCarbon/Carbon (C/C)AnodeCathode0.5 M
Na2SO4Carbon/Carbon (C/C)AnodeCathode0.5 M Na2SO4Copper/Copper
(Cu/Cu)AnodeCathode

Table 2

Electrolyte SolutionDissociation of ElectrolytesExpectation of selected

ion and productNaCl (Dilute)Ions migrating to cathode: H+ , Na+
Ion discharged at the cathode: H+
Product at cathode : 2H+ + 2e- ? H2
Ions migrating to anode: Cl- , OHIons discharged at the anode: OHProduct at anode: 4OH- ? O2 + 2H2O + 4e-NaCl (Concentrated)Ions migrating
to cathode: Na+ , H+
Ion discharged at the cathode: Na+
Product at cathode: 2H+ + 2e- ? H2
Ions migrating to anode: Cl-, OH
Ions discharged at the anode: ClProduct at anode: 2Cl- ? NaBrIons migrating to cathode:
Ion discharged at the cathode:
Product at cathode:
Ions migrating to anode:
Ions discharged at the anode:
Product at anode:Na2SO4Ions migrating to cathode:
Ion discharged at the cathode:

Product at cathode:
Ions migrating to anode:
Ions discharged at the anode:
Product at anode:Discussion:

Questions:

1. Would solid NaCl conduct electricity? Why did the salt make the water
more conductive to electricity?
No. Solid NaCl will not conduct an electricity. It is because of there
are no free electrons that may be shifted to facilitate the conduction of
electricity. It cause the solid ionic compound will not conduct an
electricity. But when the the NaCl dissolved in water or molten, NaCl
will conduct electricity. When sodium chloride, NaCl(s), dissolves into
solution, it breaks down completely to one Na+ ion and one Cl- ion which
will conduct the flow of electrons and produce an electrical flow. This
is because only in water or in a molten form, the ions can
dissociate(split) and can move from one elcectode to another. For an
ionic compond to conduct electricity, the ions must split up. A positive
ion gains the electron at the negative electrode(cathode) and the
negative ions lose elctrons at the positive electode(anode) this way, the
ions get seaprated from the molecule and they form two separate materials
at the electodes
2. What gases were formed at anode and cathode in beaker containing 0.5M
NaCl? Write the half-reaction that occurred in this beaker?
Anode
: 2H2O + 2e- ? H2 + 2OH- ; Gas evolved: hydrogen gas.
Cathode
: Cl2(g) + 2e?2Cl; Gas evolved : chlorine
gas

3. What was the purpose of adding phenolphthalein to the solution?

As an indicator which enables any changes to be observed.
4. If copper electrodes had been used instead of the carbon (graphite)
electrodes for the electrolytic cells, the observed reactions may have
been different. Why?
Carbon electrode is an inert electrode, thus it will not compete with the
ions present in the solutions. By replacing carbon with copper which is
not an inert electrode, it will undergo erosion or electrodeposition
instead of producing gas at the electrode.
5.
Why does more gas form at one electrode than at the other electrode
for electrolysis of 0.5M Na2SO4 solution?
Anode: O2 + 4 H+ + 4 e- ?2 H2O
( Cathode: 2H2O + 2e ? H2 + 2OH( At cathode, reduction occurs and the H2 gas is evolved while at anode,
oxidation takes place
6. In the electrolysis of an aqueous salt solution, the nitrate ion,
NO3-, migrates to the anode. Considering that the nitrogen in the NO3(aq) is at its maximum oxidation state of (+5), what the electrolysis
product(s) might you expect to observ at the anode?

Based on the electrochemical series, NO- 3 wont be discharge because it

is located at the upper top while OH- located at the bottom. Hence,
expected product would be oxygen gas.
( O2 + 4 H+ + 4 e- ?2 H2O
7. Calculate the volume of gases that will be collected at anode and
cathode when an aqueous solution of Na2SO4 is electrolyzed for 2 hours
with 10 A current.
Cathode (reduction): 2H2O + 2e ? H2 + 2OH- (x2)
Anode (oxidation) : 2 H2O ?O2+ 4H+ 4 e
Overall: 2H2O ? 4H2 + O2
From oxidation: 1 mol O2 = 4e
Q = It = (10)(2x60x60) = 72000C
Q = mnF = (4)(n)(96500) m = 0.1865 mol volume of gas = no. of mol x 24L =
0.1865 x 24 = 4.4L From reduction Q = (2)(n)(96500) m = 0.3731 mol volume
of gas = no. of mol x 24L = 0.3731 x 24 = 8.95 L
8. Describe in your own words the whole process of electrolysis of water
from your findings (including the electrochemical reactions occur at both
electrodes, the suitable electrode and electrolyte used).
The electrolysis of water is considered a well-known principle to produce
oxygen and hydrogen gas, There must be no unwanted gas evolved such as
bromine or chlorine gas occurs. Due to the electrochemical series, the
most suitable electrode and aqueous solutions for water splitting process

are Copper/Copper and Na2SO4 respectively. Halide ions are reducing at

cathode and OHis oxidizing at anode. SO4 2- is the best anion that the
most difficult anion to oxidize
Conclusion:
References: