APPLICATIONS OF ELECTROLYSIS

 Applications of Electrolysis

1) refining of impure metals and obtaining pure metals

2) refining of metal or for obtaining pure metal

Electroplating:

Electroplating is the process of depositing a thin film of finer metal over the objects made from baser metal with the posing of electric current through an electrolyte

The o objective of electroplating is to:

1) protect the surface of the baser metal

2) decoration by giving shine to the objects

Preperation 

1) the articles to be electroplating should be cleaned 

2) Direct current only  to be used

3) suitable temperature required 

Electroplating an object made from iron with copper

1) dissolve crystals of copper sulphate in pure water to prepare a concentrated solution

2) pour the solution in beaker

3) add few drops of concentrated sulphuric acid to increase the electrical conductivity

4) take two insulated copper wires

5) tie one end of the insulated copper wire to the iron key to be coated and other end of copper wire to negative terminal of battery 

6) tie one end of the insulated copper wire to the copper plate and other end of copper wire to positive terminal of battery 

7) suspend the copper plate and iron key in to copper sulphate solution and they donot touch each other

8)iron key acts as a cathode and copper plate acts as a anode

9) put switch on  for 10 minutes

10) switch off currents after 10 minutes. Take out the iron key, you will find the iron key coated with shiny and uniform layer of copper

How electroplating takes place

1) when electric current switched on

2) DC current is supplied to the anode  (copper plate) that oxidizes the copper atoms and dissolves them into the electrolyte (copper sulphate solution)

3) The dissolved ions of copper in the electrolyte are reduced at the cathode and plated on the  iron key

Galvanizing:-

Iron sheets and water pipes are coated with zinc for protection against rusting. Zinc coating is done by dipping the iron sheets in molten zinc. This is called galvanising 

Tinning:-

Brass utensils being used in kitchen are heated first , then a coating of molten tin is applied on them. This is called tinning 

Electro - Type settings:-

1) In a news paper  press wax blocks with graphite powder  acts as positive pole

2) the wax blocks immersed in copper sulphate solution which acts  as negative pole

3) Electricity passes through the solution

4) a thick plate of copper deposited on the wax block

5) wax is gets melted 

6) copper letters ready to print thousands of copies of the newspaper

7) this is called electro type settings