Syllabus ref: 9.2 Syllabus ref: 19.1 Word etymology 'electro' + 'lysis' = electricity + breaking apart. Electrolysis is the process of breaking an ionic compound into simpler substances using an electrical current.
Understandings - SL Essential idea: Voltaic cells convert chemical energy to electrical energy and electrolytic cells convert electrical energy to chemical energy. Electrolytic cells convert electrical energy to chemical energy, by bringing about non-spontaneous processes. Oxidation occurs at the anode (positive electrode) and reduction
occurs at the cathode (negative electrode) in an electrolytic cell.
Understandings - HL Essential idea: Energy conversions between electrical and chemical energy lie at the core of electrochemical cells. When aqueous solutions are electrolysed, water can be oxidized to oxygen at the anode and reduced to hydrogen at the cathode. Current, duration of electrolysis and charge on the ion affect the amount of product formed at the electrodes during electrolysis. Applications and skills - SL Construction and annotation of both types of electrochemical cells. Explanation of how a redox reaction is used to produce electricity in a voltaic cell and how current is conducted in an electrolytic cell. Distinction between electron and ion flow in both electrochemical cells. Deduction of the products of the electrolysis of a molten salt Applications and skills - HL Explanation of the products formed during the electrolysis of aqueous solutions. Determination of the relative amounts of products formed during electrolytic processes. Explanation of the process of electroplating. |
In Chapter 9.5