1 Key Points

Electrolysis

1. Electrolysis : The process due to which a chemical compound in
fused state or in aqueous state conducts direct electric current,
resulting in the discharge of ions of an electrolyte so as to form
neutral atoms at their respective electrodes is called electrolysis.
2. Electrolyte : A chemical compound in fused state or in aqueous state
which conducts direct electric current and at the same time
decomposes to form neutral atoms at the electrodes is called an
electrolyte.
3. Electrodes : The metal rods or plates through which current enters or
leaves an electrolyte are called electrodes.
4. Cathode : The electrode connected to the negative terminal of a
battery is called cathode.
5. Anode : The electrode connected to the positive terminal of a battery
is called anode.
6. Cations : The positively charged ions which discharge at cathode are
called cations.
7. Anions : The negatively charged ions which discharge at anode are
called anions.
8. Electrolytic Cell : A glass vessel (or any other insulating material),
containing two electrodes and an electrolyte is collectively called
electrolytic cell.
9. Ionisation : The process of formation of positively charged and
negatively charged ions from the molecules of polar covalent
compounds is called ionisation.
10. Electrolytic Dissociation : The process in which separation of ions
of an electrovalent compound takes place on heating or in aqueous
solution is called electrolytic dissociation.

2 Key Points

11. Electropositive Series : Depending upon the ease with which metals
lose electrons from their valence shell to form ions, they are arranged
in a vertical column called electropositive series.
12. Electro-refining : The electrolytic process by which impurities are
removed from an impure metal is called electro-refining.
13. Electroplating : The process of depositing a thin layer of a superior
metal on the clean surface of a base metal, by the process of
electrolysis is called electroplating.
14. Electrometallurgy : The extraction of metals from their fused ores
by the process of electrolysis is called electrometallurgy.

Chemical Equations at a Glance

1. Electrolysis of lead bromide using graphite electrodes
(i) Dissociation of lead bromide (i)
2+
2
PbBr Pb +2Br

(ii) Reaction at cathode (ii)
2+
Pb +2e Pb.
(iii) Reaction at anode (iii)

Br e Br

2
Br +Br Br
2. Electrolysis of acidulated water using platinum electrodes
(i) Ionisation of sulphuric acid (i)
+ 2
2 4 4
H SO 2H SO +

(ii) Ionisation of water (ii)
+
2
H O H OH +

(iii) Reaction at cathode (iii)
+
H +e H

2
H +H H (g)
(iv) Reaction at anode (iv)

OH e OH

2 2
4OH 2H O +O (g)



3 Key Points

3. Electrolysis of acidified aqueous copper sulphate using copper
electrodes
(i) Dissociation of copper (i)
2+ 2
4 4
CuSO Cu +SO

sulphate
(ii) Ionisation of sulphuric acid (ii)
+ 2
2 4 4
H SO 2H +SO

(iii) Ionisation of water (iii)
+
2
H O H +OH

(iv) Reaction at cathode (iv)
2
Cu +2e Cu

(v) Reaction at anode (v)
2+
Cu 2e Cu
4. Electrolysis of acidified aqueous copper sulphate using platinum
anode and copper cathode.
(i) Dissociation of copper sulphate (i)
2+ 2
4 4
CuSO Cu +SO

(ii) Ionisation of sulphuric acid (ii)
+ 2
2 4 4
H SO 2H +SO

(iii) Ionisation of water (iii)
+
2
H O H +OH

(iv) Reaction at cathode (iv)
2+
Cu +2e Cu
(v) Reaction at anode (v)

OH 2e Cu

2 2
4OH 2H O +O (g)
5. Silver plating using silver anode
(i) Dissociation of sodium
argento cyanide (i)
+ +
2
NaAg(CN) Na +Ag +2CN

(ii) Ionisation of HCN (ii)
+
HCN H +CN

(iii) Ionisation of water (iii)
+
2
H O H +OH

(iv) Reaction at cathode (iv)
+
Ag +e Ag
(v) Reaction at anode (v)
+
Ag e Ag





4 Key Points

6. Nickel plating using nickel anode
(i) Dissociation of nickel sulphate (i)
2+ 2
4 4
NiSO Ni +SO

(ii) Ionisation of sulphuric acid (ii)
+ 2
2 4 4
H SO 2H +SO

(iii) Ionisation of water (iii)
+
2
H O H +OH

(iv) Reaction at cathode (iv)
+
Ni +2e Ni
(v) Reaction at anode (v)
2+
Ni 2e Ni
7. Electro-refining of copper using pure copper as cathode and impure
copper as anode
(i) Dissociation of copper sulphate (i)
2+ 2
4 4
CuSO Cu +SO

(ii) Ionisation of sulphuric acid (ii)
+ 2
2 4 4
H SO 2H +SO

(iii) Ionisation of water (iii)
+
2
H O H +OH

(iv) Reaction at cathode (iv)
2+
Cu +2e Cu
(v) Reaction at anode (v)
2+
Cu 2e Cu
8. Electrometallergy of sodium, using steel cathode and graphite anode
(i) Dissociation of fused (i)
+
NaCI Na +CI

sodium chloride
(ii) Reaction at cathode (ii)
+
Na +e Na
(iii) Reaction at anode (iii)
2
CI +CI CI
9. Electrometallergy of potassium, using steel cathode and graphite
anode
(i) Dissociation of fused potassium (i)
+
KCI K +CI

chloride
(ii) Reaction at cathode (ii)
+
K +e K
(iii) Reaction at anode (iii)

CI e CI

2
CI +CI CI



5 Key Points

10. Electrometallergy of calcium, using steel cathode and graphite anode
(i) Dissociation of fused (i)
2+
2
CaCI Ca +2CI

calcium chloride
(ii) Reaction at cathode (ii)
2
Ca +2e Ca
(iii) Reaction at anode (iii)

CI e CI

2
CI +CI CI
11. Electrometallergy of aluminium using gas carbon anode and graphite
cathode
(i) Dissociation of fused (i)
3+ 2
2 3
Al O 2Al +3O

alumina
(ii) Dissociation of fused (ii)
+ 3+
3 6
Na AlF 3Na +Al +6F

cryolite
(iii) Reaction at cathode (iii)
3+ + 3+
Al +3e 3Na +Al +6F
(iv) Reaction at anode (iv)
2
O 2e [O]

2
C +2[O] CO