Question

The divalent metal whose oxide is reduced to metal by electrolysis of its fused salt is ___ $(Al/Na/Mg/K)$

Answer 1

• A divalent metal is a metal that can donate two electrons to obtain a stable noble gas configuration.
• In the given list the divalent metal is Magnesium(Mg).
• And the oxide of Magnesium can reduce into its corresponding metal by the electrolytic reduction of its fused salt.
• The electrolytic reduction of Magnesium chloride is,
• $$\begin{gathered} \underset{Magnesiumchloride}{MgC{l}_2\left(s\right)}\stackrel{}{\to }M{g}^{2+}\left(aq\right)+2C{l}^{-}\left(aq\right) \\ Cathode:\underset{Magnesiumions}{M{g}^{2+}\left(aq\right)}+2e^{-}\to \underset{Magnesium}{Mg\left(s\right)} \\ Anode:\underset{Chlorideions}{2C{l}^{-}}\left(aq\right)\to \underset{Chlorine}{C{l}_2\left(g\right)}+2e^{-} \end{gathered}$$
• The divalent metal whose oxide is reduced to metal by electrolysis of its fused salt is Magnesium.