Problem 3: Electrolysis of an aqueous (blue) CuSO4 solution with copper electrod

Question

Problem 3: Electrolysis of an aqueous (blue) CuSO4 solution with copper electrodes results in which of the following:

a) Cu + ions plate out at one electrode and SO42– ions plate out at other.

b) Blue colour of CuSO4 sol’n quickly disappears as Cu2+ ions in solution plate out on anode.

c) Blue colour of CuSO4 sol’n quickly disappears as Cu2+ ions in solution plate out on cathode.

d) Solution stays blue, anode gets smaller and cathode gets larger.

e) Solutionstaysblue,cathodegetssmallerandanodegetslarger.

f) Nothing happens

Explanation / Answer

Correct answer for this question will be letter d).

This is due to copper ions will start to dissolve in the copper anode (entering solution), and they will start making a deposit on the cathode. Solution will remain blue as copper ions being deposited in the cathode are the same the are dissolving in the anode, remaining in equilibrium (material and electrical equilibrium).

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