Question

State one relevant observation for: At the Anode when aqueous copper sulphate solution is electrolyzed during copper electrodes.

Answer 1

Electrolyzed refers to the electrolysis process in which a compound gets dissociates into its constituents ions in an aqueous or molten state on the passing of electric current.

• On electrolysis of aqueous copper sulphate solution, it will dissociation into copper and sulphate ions.

$$\begin{gathered} {\mathrm{CuSO}}_4\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)\rightleftharpoons {\mathrm{Cu}}^{2+}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+{\mathrm{SO}}_4^{2-}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right) \\ \mathrm{copper}\mathrm{sulphate}\mathrm{copper}\mathrm{iron}\mathrm{sulphate}\mathrm{ions} \end{gathered}$$

• By using copper electrodes, the electrodes are not inert and at the anode, copper loses electrons forming copper ions into solution and the anode gets thinner.

Reaction at the anode:

$$\begin{gathered} \mathrm{Cu}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)\to {\mathrm{Cu}}^{2+}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+2{\mathrm{e}}^{-} \\ \mathrm{copper}\mathrm{atoms}\mathrm{copper}\mathrm{ions} \end{gathered}$$

Hence, When aqueous copper sulphate solution is electrolyzed during copper electrodes, nothing is left at the anode as copper atoms from copper ions migrate towards the cathode.