Question

An electrolytic cell is set up using two copper electrodes and an aqueous solution of copper (II) sulphate given below:

Name the ion discharged at the anode.

• A. Cu²⁺
• B. SO₄^2-
• C. OH^-
• D. None of these

Answer 1

The correct option is D

None of these

The ions present in the aqueous copper sulphate are $C{u}^{2+},H^{+},S{O}_4{}^{2-}$ and $O{H}^{-}$ . The $S{O}_4{}^{2-}$ and $O{H}^{-}$ ions both migrate to the anode but neither of them is discharged due to the nature of anode ,as copper loses electrons more easily than $S{O}_4{}^{2-}$ and $O{H}^{-}$ because copper anode itself ionizes to give $C{u}^{2+}$ ions. So, the product formed at the anode is nill because anode keeps dissolving during the reaction,as $C{u}^{2+}$ ions are formed.

Reaction at anode: $Cu-2e^{-}\to C{u}^{2+}$