Question

What are the factors affecting the product of electrolysis?

Answer 1

Electrolysis:

• It is a process that leads to chemical change when an electric current is passed through an electrolyte.
• During the electrolysis process, the negatively charged electrode loses the electrons and undergoes oxidation while the positively charged electrode gains the electrons and undergoes the reduction process.

Factors affecting the product of electrolysis:

• State of the electrolyte- The electrolyte must be in a liquid/molten state to participate in electrolysis. The Solid-state is unstable for electrolysis.
• Nature of the electrode- For the same electrolyte, the nature of the electrode may give different products.
• Overvoltage at the electrodes- Sometimes, overvoltage of the half-reaction becomes unfavourable due to which the products of electrolysis might get changed.