Lesson Plan

Lesson: Electrolysis

Aim :

To study the electrolysis and the application of Faraday’s laws.

Learning Outcomes :

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. state the factors affecting the products of electrolysis.

2. state Faraday’s First and Second law.

3. apply Faraday’s laws in the calculation of quantities of substances

liberated/deposited during electrolysis.

Assumed prior knowledge :

Students should already be familiar with :

1. electrochemical cells.

2. the definitions of a cathode and an anode.

3. the basic concepts of electrolysis.

Underlying Principles

1. Making the invisible, visible.

2. Enabling students to know what to look for.

Time taken to complete the activities : 80 minutes

Differentiation

Questions in the student notes are designed to enable all students to complete the activity.
The pop-up answers are provided for the students to view when they have considered their
responses. Worksheet questions include questions that require recall, understanding and
application of the new concepts learned.

© 2003 Ministry of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. Page 1 of 4

Development of Lesson :

No. Steps Strategy Resources

1 Set Induction. • Teacher to use Activity 1 to help students
(Ascertaining prior recall the basic concepts of electrolysis.
knowledge and They are shown the comparison between
introducing lesson an electrolytic cell and an electrochemical
topic for the day). cell.

Teacher to point out lesson objectives for

the day.

2 Student Activity Teacher to go through Activities 1 - 3 • Courseware

with the students.

• Activity 1 : Electrolysis

Students get to study how the electrode

potential values affect the discharge of
ions during the electrolysis of sodium
sulphate solution. They are then shown
how the product obtained during the
electrolysis of an aqueous solution also
depends on the concentration of the ions
present, as well as the type of electrodes
used.

• Activity 2 : Products of electrolysis

Students get to study how the electrode

potential values affect the discharge of
ions during the electrolysis of sodium
sulphate solution. They are then shown
how the product obtained during the
electrolysis of an aqueous solution also
depends on the concentration of the ions
present, as well as the type of electrodes
used.

• Activity 3 : Faraday’s laws

Students are introduced to Faraday’s
First and Second laws and their
applications.

3 Evaluation • Students to answer questions in the • Worksheet

student worksheet on their own.

4 Extension activity • Students to go through the extension • Websites

activities on their own. • Reference
books.

© 2003 Ministry of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. Page 2 of 4

Worksheet answers

1. Electrolysis

1.1

Anode Cathode

Ions attracted to OH-(from water) and NO3-(aq) H+(from water) and Ag+(aq)

Ion selectively OH- , because OH- is lower in the Ag+, because Ag+ is lower
discharged and electrochemical series in the electrochemical
the reason series

Equation 4OH-(aq) 2H2O(l) + O2(g) + 4e- Ag+(aq) + e- Ag(s)

1.2 Silver anode: The silver electrode dissolves and forms silver ions.
Ag(s) Ag+(aq) + e-

Silver cathode: Silver ions will receive electrons to form silver atoms which then form
silver deposit on the silver cathode.
Ag+(aq) + e- Ag(s)

2. Products of electrolysis

2.1 Ag+(aq) + e- Ag(s)

To deposit 1 mol or 108 g of Ag(s) requires 1 F

32.4
To deposit 32.4 g of Ag(s) will require x 1F
108

Al3+(aq) + 3e- Al(s)

3 F will cause a deposit of 1 mol or 27 g of Al(s)

32.4 32.4 1 F
Therefore x 1 F will cause a deposit of x x 27 g
108 108 3 F
= 2.7 g of Al

© 2003 Ministry of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. Page 3 of 4

2.2 Ni2+(aq) + 2e- Ni(s)

2 mol of electrons ≡ 2 F ≡ 2 x 96 500 C will deposit 1 mol or 58.7 g of nickel

8 .0
Therefore, to deposit 8.0 g of nickel will require x 2 x 96 500 C
58.7

Coulomb (C) = ampere (A) x time (s)

8.0 x 2 x 96 500
= 1.5 x time (s)
58.7

8.0 x 2 x 96 500
Time taken = s
58.7 x 1.5

= 4.9 hours

3. Faraday’s law

3.1 Q = It
Q = 1.5 x 30 x 60 C

Ag+(aq) + e- Ag(s)

1 mol e- ≡ 1 F ≡ 9.65 x 104 C 1 mol Ag(s) or 108 g

1.5 x 30 x 60
1.5 x 30 x 60 C x 108 g
9.65 x 10 4
= 0.030 g

3.2 Q = 1.2 x 1.5 x 60 x 60 C

2H+(aq) + 2e H2(g)

2 F ≡ 2 x 96 500 C liberates 1 mol ≡ 24.0 dm3 of H2(g)

Therefore,
1.2 x 1.5 x 60 x 60 x 24.0
1.2 x 1.5 x 60 x 60 C will liberates dm3
2 x 96 500

= 0.8 dm3 or 800 cm3

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