Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Electrolysis
- What is
electrolysis?
- Electrolysis is the breaking
down of a compound using
electrical energy
- The electricity used comes from a direct current source.
- A battery
- Thermocouples
- Solar cells
- It requires a liquid to conduct the electricity, called the electrolyte
- The electricity is applied to the electrolyte by two electrodes
- The electrode contains the
compound, which is broken down
into its component parts
- The component parts are released as
atoms or molecules
- Often as a gas
- The main components required for electrolysis are;
- An electrolyte
- A substance containing free ions, which
are the carriers of the electric current
- If the ions are not mobile,
electrolysis cannot take place
- A direct current
supply
- Provides the necessary energy to create or
discharge the ions in the electrode.
- Two electrodes
- An electrical conductor which provides the
physical interference between the electrical
circuit
- Electrolysis; Hydrochloric
Acid
- The electrolyte is a dilute solution of
hydrochloric acid
- Applying a direct current to the electrolyte causes the hydrochloric acid to
decompose into its two component parts
- Hydrogen gas
- Chlorine gas
- The gases bubble through the solution and
can be collected at the electrodes.