Question

What do you mean by electroplating, and why we do so? Give 3 examples. 【3marks】

Answer 1

Electroplating is the process of depositing a layer of any desired metal on another material by means of electricity.

Electroplating is widely used in various industries for coating metal objects with a thin layer of a different metal. The layer of metal deposited has some desired property, which the metal of the object lacks.
A simple example of the electroplating process is the electroplating of copper in which the metal to be plated (copper) is used as the anode and the electrolyte solution contains the ion of the metal to be plated (Cu2+ in this example). Copper goes into solution at the anode as it is plated at the cathode. A constant concentration of Cu2+ is maintained in the electrolyte solution surrounding the electrodes:
anode: Cu(s) → Cu2+(aq) + 2 e-
cathode: Cu2+(aq) + 2 e- → Cu(s)