Electricity and Chemicals - AKHS Edition 2020 - Complete Notes
Electricity and Chemicals - AKHS Edition 2020 - Complete Notes
Electricity and Chemicals - AKHS Edition 2020 - Complete Notes
Some materials or substances allow electricity to flow through them while others do not.
Material or substance that conduct electricity contain either free mobile electrons (in
metals) or ions (in molten or aqueous ionic compounds).
Terms to be used
1. Electricity is the flow of charge
2. A conductor is a substance or material that allows charge/ electricity to flow through it
e.g. metals.
3. A non-conductor (or insulator) is a substance or material that does not allow charge/
electricity to flow through it e.g. wood, plastic
4. An electrolyte is a compound which when in molten state or aqueous state will conduct
an electric current and will be decomposed by it.
a) A strong electrolyte is one which is completely ionized in aqueous or molten states.
Examples include; mineral acids (e.g. HCl, HNO3, H2SO4), alkalis (e.g. NaOH, KOH)
and salts (e.g. NaCl, CuSO4).
Strong electrolytes are very good conductors of electricity.
b) A weak electrolyte is one which is only slightly ionized in aqueous or molten states.
Examples include; water, ammonia solution and weak acids (e.g. carbonic acid,
ethanoic acid, oxalic acid)
Weak electrolytes are poor conductors of electricity because they only form few ions.
5. A non-electrolyte is a compound which when in molten or aqueous states does not
conduct electricity and cannot be decomposed by an electric current.
Examples include; cane sugar, alcohols, benzene, urea and most organic compounds.
Non-electrolytes only exist as molecules and are incapable of forming ions.
6. Electrolysis is the decomposition of a compound (electrolyte) either in molten state or
aqueous state by passing an electric current through it.
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Electricity and chemical substances
Some examples of electrolytes and the ions they form when ionized
Ions formed when ionized
Electrolyte Formula Cation(s) Anion(s)
1. Sulphuric acid H2SO4 2H+ SO42−
2. Sodium chloride NaCl Na+ Cl−
3. Sodium hydroxide NaOH Na+ OH─
4. Copper(II) sulphate CuSO4 Cu2+ SO42−
5. Lead(II) nitrate Pb(NO3)2 Pb2+ 2NO3−
6. Ethanoic acid CH3COOH H+ CH3COO−
7. Potassium ethanoate CH3COOK K+ CH3COO−
8. Lead(II) bromide PbBr2 Pb2+ 2Br ─
9. Hydrochloric acid HCl ? ?
Water as an electrolyte
Water is a very weak electrolyte which is only slightly ionized
H2O (l) H+ (aq) + OH ¯ (aq)
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Electricity and chemical substances
▪ The D.C supply such as battery is used to moves electrons through the wire to the
electrodes. This is the electric current outside the electrolyte.
▪ Electrons flow from D.C supply to the cathode where they are received by cations.
▪ In the electrolyte, cations (positive ions) are attracted to the cathode (negative electrode)
while anions (negative ions) are attracted to the anode (positive electrode). This flow of
ions is the electric current inside the electrolyte. The ions transfer electrons to the anode
then back to the D.C source
▪ At the cathode, cations discharge by gaining electrons (reduction reaction)
Examples of reduction reactions that occur at the cathode;
Cu2+ (aq) + 2e → Cu (s)
2H+ (aq) + 2e → H2 (g)
Na+ (aq) + e → Na (s)
Cl2 (g) + 2e → 2Cl─ (aq)
▪ At the anode, anions discharge by losing electrons (oxidation reaction)
Examples of oxidation reactions that can occur at the anode;
4OH─ (aq) → 2H2O(l) + O2 (g) + 4e
2Cl─ (aq) → Cl2 (g) + 2e
2Br─ (aq) → Br2 (g) + 2e
Cu(s) → Cu2+ (aq) + 2e
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Electricity and chemical substances
Memory aid for reactions that occur at the cathode and anode
ANOX REDCAT [Anode-Oxidation: Reduction-Cathode]
Remember: OIL-RIG (Oxidation Is Loss of electrons and Reduction Is Gaining of electrons)
During electrolysis, any ion in the electrolyte will discharge in preference to those above
it in the electrochemical series, keeping all the other factors constant.
For example, in an electrolyte consisting of both sodium (Na+) ions and hydrogen (H+)
ions, H+ ions will discharge at the cathode in preference to Na+ ions because H+ is lower
than Na+ in the electrochemical series.
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Electricity and chemical substances
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Electricity and chemical substances
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Electricity and chemical substances
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Electricity and chemical substances
Summary of observations
▪ Brown solid of copper metal is deposited at
the cathode (increases in size and mass)
▪ At the anode bubbles of a colourless gas
(oxygen) formed that relights a glowing
splint.
▪ Blue colour of copper(II) sulphate solution
fades and eventually turns colourless
▪ Solution becomes acidic due to H+ and
SO42– remaining in solution
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Electricity and chemical substances
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Electricity and chemical substances
Summary of observations
▪ Brown solid of copper metal is deposited at
the cathode (increases in size and mass)
▪ The anode dissolves therefore it reduces in
size and mass.
▪ Blue colour of copper(II) sulphate solution
does not fade since Cu2+ that discharge at
the cathode are replaced at the anode when
it dissolves. Therefore, the process only
transfers copper from the anode to the
cathode.
NB: This arrangement can be used to purify
copper whereby impure copper is made the
anode and pure copper the cathode.
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Electricity and chemical substances
In solution,
HCl (aq) → H+ (aq) + Cl− (aq)
H2O (l) H+ (aq) + OH─ (aq)
Ions present: H+, Cl─, OH─
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Electricity and chemical substances
NB: Electrolysis of dilute HCl yields H2 gas at the cathode and O2 gas at the anode due
to the discharge of OH─ instead of Cl−
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Electricity and chemical substances
Observation: A pale greenish-yellow gas (chlorine) is evolved which turns wet blue
litmus paper pink and then bleaches it.
Note: An inert electrode of carbon is used as the anode so as to resist attack by chlorine
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Electricity and chemical substances
Note: An inert electrode of carbon is used as the anode so as to resist attack by chlorine
This process is used in the industrial manufacture of sodium hydroxide, Chlorine gas
and Hydrogen gas.
At the cathode: 2H+ (aq) + 2e → H2 (g) [H+ is lower than Na+ in the electrochemical series]
At the anode: 4OH─(aq) → 2H2O(l) + O2(g) + 4e [OH─ is lower than Cl─ in the electrochemical series]
Overall equation: 4H+ (aq) + 4OH─ (aq) → 2H2 (g) + 2H2O (l) + O2 (g)
This is equivalent to the electrolysis of water or dilute sulphuric acid.
Pb2+ and Br− ions discharge due to their high concentration in solution.
At the cathode: Pb2+ (aq) + 2e → Pb (s) [grey metal deposited]
At the anode: 2Br– (aq) → 2e + Br2 (l) [brown liquid formed]
Overall equation: Pb2+ (aq) + 2Br – (aq) → Br2 (l) + Pb (s)
10. Electrolysis of molten (or fused) Lead(II) bromide using carbon electrodes.
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Electricity and chemical substances
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Electricity and chemical substances
For example, during the purification of copper, impure copper is made the anode, pure
copper the cathode and copper(II) sulphate the electrolyte.
3. Electroplating
Electroplating is the process of coating a metal (or any other substance) with another
metal by electrolysis.
Electroplating aims at improving the appearance a substance (metal) or providing
greater resistance to corrosion or rusting. For example; cutlery and roofing material
coated with zinc (zinc plating), chromium (chromium plating), silver (silver plating), nickel
etc. Silver plating a spoon
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Electricity and chemical substances
Sodium hydroxide is used in the manufacture of soap, paper and other useful products.
Electrochemical Cells
During electrolysis (in an electrolytic cell), an electric current produces a chemical change
when passed through an electrolyte. However, in an electrochemical cell, chemical
reactions produce an electric current.
An electrochemical cell converts chemical energy in electrical energy.
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Electricity and chemical substances
Observation:
The bulb lights, indicating the flow of electric current in the circuit (current flows from copper
to magnesium), magnesium dissolves in the electrolyte and hydrogen gas is formed as
bubbles of a colourless gas on the copper plate.
Explanation:
Magnesium (the more electropositive) ionizes by electron loss. Electrons pass from
magnesium to copper through the external circuit. This is equivalent to the flow of a
conventional current in the opposite direction.
At the copper plate surface, electrons reduce hydrogen ions in the electrolyte to form
hydrogen gas. Magnesium becomes the cathode and Copper the anode of this voltaic cell.
Equations:
Ionization of the electrolyte: H2SO4(aq) → 2H+(aq) + SO42−(aq)
Half-cell reaction at the Anode: Mg(s) → Mg2+(aq) + 2e−
Half-cell reaction at the cathode: 2H+(aq) + 2e− → H2(g)
Overall equation: Mg (s) + 2H+(aq) → Mg2+(aq) + H2(g)
Cell notation (or convention): Mg (s) / Mg2+(aq) // 2H+(aq) / H2(g)
Theoretically, current can continue to flow for as long as the materials last. In practice,
bubbles of hydrogen gas adhere on to the surface of copper cutting off much of its contact
with the electrolyte causing “polarization” of the cell.
Voltmeter
V
Salt bridge
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Electricity and chemical substances
NB: The salt bridge (made up of potassium chloride) allows electrons to flow between the
half-cells (beakers) without allowing the solutions to mix.
Observation:
The voltmeter deflects, the zinc terminal (anode) decreases in size and the copper terminal
(cathode) increases in size.
Explanation:
Zinc being more electropositive than copper, it ionizes by electron loss causing zinc to
dissolve into solution hence decreasing the size of the zinc terminal.
Electrons pass from zinc (anode) to Copper (cathode) through the external circuit. This is
equivalent to the flow of a conventional current in the opposite direction.
At the Copper terminal, electrons reduce Copper(II) ions, Cu2+ to copper metal which is
deposited at the anode causing it to increase in size.
The voltage across the terminals is registered by the voltmeter (usually 1.1V).
The cell stops producing an electric current when the whole zinc electrode is used up.
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Electricity and chemical substances
Equations:
Ionization of zinc sulphate: ZnSO4(aq) → Zn2+(aq) + SO42−(aq)
Ionization of Copper(II) sulphate: CuSO4(aq) → Cu2+(aq) + SO42−(aq)
Half-cell reaction at the anode: Zn(s) → Zn2+(aq) + 2e− (Also represented as Zn(s)/Zn2+(aq))
Half-cell reaction at the cathode: Cu2+(aq) + 2e− → Cu(s) (Also represented as Cu2+(aq)/Cu(s))
Overall equation: Zn(s) + Cu2+(aq) → Zn2+(aq) + Cu(s)
Cell notation (or convention): Zn(s) / Zn2+(aq) // Cu2+(aq) / Cu(s)
Read about:
▪ Primary cells and secondary cells
▪ Leclanché cell or dry cell
▪ Lead-acid accumulators
(Reference: page 173 and 174, A new certificate chemistry by A. Holderness and John
Lambert)
Revision questions
1.
2.
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