ELECTROLYSIS AND ELECTROLYTIC CELLS KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS
CONCEPTS
Students will know:
· Electrolysis involves forcing a current through a cell to cause a non-spontaneous redox reaction to occur.
· Electrolytic and galvanic cells are both electrochemical cells. They contain an anode where oxidation occurs and a cathode where reduction occurs.
· An electrolytic cell, unlike a galvanic cell, requires an external energy source and involves a non-spontaneous redox reaction rather than a spontaneous redox reaction.
· Industrial applications of electrolysis include the electrolysis of water and other aqueous solutions, as well as recharging batteries, producing aluminum, electrorefining metals, and electroplating.
· Electrolysis involves forcing a current through a cell to cause a non-spontaneous redox reaction to occur.
· Electrolytic and galvanic cells are both electrochemical cells. They contain an anode where oxidation occurs and a cathode where reduction occurs.
· An electrolytic cell, unlike a galvanic cell, requires an external energy source and involves a non-spontaneous redox reaction rather than a spontaneous redox reaction.
· Industrial applications of electrolysis include the electrolysis of water and other aqueous solutions, as well as recharging batteries, producing aluminum, electrorefining metals, and electroplating.
KEY TERMS
Electrolytic Cell:
A Cell that uses electrical energy to produce a chemical change that would not occur spontaneously.
Electrolysis:
The application of current through a cell to produce a chemical change.
Electrochemical Cell:
A general term that is used to refer to both a galvanic and an electrolytic cell.
Hall-Heroult Process:
It is the major industrial process for the production of aluminum. It involves dissolving alumina in molten cryolite, and electrolyzing he molten salt bath to obtain pure aluminum metal.
Electrorefining:
It is a method for purifying a metal using electrolysis. An electric current is passed between a sample of the impure metal and a cathode when both are immersed in a solution that contains cations of the metal. Metal is stripped off the impure sample and deposited in pure form on the cathode.
Electroplating:
It is a process that uses electrical current to reduce dissolved metal cations so that they form a coherent metal coating on an electrode.
Chloralkali Process:
It is is a process used to create sodium hydroxide, chlorine, and hydrogen from sodium chloride and water, which is fueled by electrolysis. It is normally conducted in a tank separated by a membrane, although there are other methods, such as using mercury. If potassium chloride or calcium chloride is used instead, potassium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide are produced. When the membrane is not in place, hypochlorites are formed. If it is heated, chlorates are formed.
A Cell that uses electrical energy to produce a chemical change that would not occur spontaneously.
Electrolysis:
The application of current through a cell to produce a chemical change.
Electrochemical Cell:
A general term that is used to refer to both a galvanic and an electrolytic cell.
Hall-Heroult Process:
It is the major industrial process for the production of aluminum. It involves dissolving alumina in molten cryolite, and electrolyzing he molten salt bath to obtain pure aluminum metal.
Electrorefining:
It is a method for purifying a metal using electrolysis. An electric current is passed between a sample of the impure metal and a cathode when both are immersed in a solution that contains cations of the metal. Metal is stripped off the impure sample and deposited in pure form on the cathode.
Electroplating:
It is a process that uses electrical current to reduce dissolved metal cations so that they form a coherent metal coating on an electrode.
Chloralkali Process:
It is is a process used to create sodium hydroxide, chlorine, and hydrogen from sodium chloride and water, which is fueled by electrolysis. It is normally conducted in a tank separated by a membrane, although there are other methods, such as using mercury. If potassium chloride or calcium chloride is used instead, potassium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide are produced. When the membrane is not in place, hypochlorites are formed. If it is heated, chlorates are formed.
References
- Di Guiseppe, M., Haberer, S., Salciccioli, K., Sanader, M, Vavitsas, A. (2012) Chemistry 12. Toronto: Nelson Education Ltd.
- van Kessel, H., Jenkins, F., Davies, L., Plumb, D., Di Guiseppe, M., Lantz, O., Tompkins, D. (2003). Chemistry 12. Toronto: Thomson Canada Limited.
- http://www.wikipedia.org