Name: ________________________

The electrolysis of copper(II) Date: _______________

sulfate solution

The electrolyte copper(II) sulfate, provides a high concentration of copper(II) ions Cu 2+ and sulfate ions
SO42 to carry the current during the electrolysis process. There are small concentrations of hydrogen ions
H+ and hydroxide ions (OH) from the self-ionisation of water itself, but these can be ignored in this
experiment.

The electrolysis will only take place when electricity is passed through the copper solution.

The technical details of the electrolysis of copper sulfate solution with two different electrodes (a) graphite
(carbon) electrodes and (b) copper electrodes are all explained below.

Electrolysis of a aqueous copper(II) sulphate solution CuSO4(aq)

(a) The electrolysis of copper sulfate solution using inert electrodes

1. The ________________ ____ __________________________ ____________

______________ solution with inert electrodes ________________________________ or

platinum) are copper __________ ______ ____________ ________

and / of / oxygen / products / (carbon/graphite / metal / electrolysing / copper / sulfate /
gas.

2. The ________________ ______________ electrode attracts ________ ions (from copper

sulfate) ______ ____ ________ __________ water). Only the ____________ ion ____
______________________ being reduced to copper ____________ ______ ________
________________ __ ____________ the ________ readily ______ ______ is

______________ on the electrode ________________

Cu2+ / The / and / reduced / its / reactive / more / copper / a / metal. / ion / ions
/ discharged, / H+ / cathode / negative / surface. / (from / less / is / metal,

3. __ ____________ ______________ forms as ______ positive ____________ ions are

__________________ to the ________________ __________________ (cathode)

electrode / attracted / copper / deposit / copper / A / the / negative

4. Cu2+(aq) __ ______ ______ Cu(s)

==> / 2e / +

5. The ____________ of hydrogen ions ______ ______ ______________________ ____

______ ______ ______ any ______ collected above the negative electrode.
discharged, / are / gas / so / you / not / traces / not / see

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 6. he ________ ____________ of ______ copper ion will ________ as ______
____________ ________ ______ converted to ______ copper ______________ ____

the cathode
colour / deposit / blue / fade / ions / the / the / on / are / the / copper

7. ____________ ______ is formed at ______ ________________ electrode, ____

__________________ reaction (electron loss).

the / an / gas / oxidation / positive / Oxygen

8. ______ ________________ sulphate ions ______________ or the traces of

__________________ ________ __________ ______ attracted ____ the positive

____________________ But ______ ______________ ______ ____ too stable ______

______________ happens. ______________ ____________ __________________ ions

or __________ molecules are discharged and ________________ to form ______________

water / Instead / negative / is / ion / nothing / sulfate / oxygen. / are / electrode. /
hydroxide / (SO42-) / (OH) / hydroxide / to / either / the / ions / and / The / oxidised

9. (i) 4OH(aq) __ ______ ______ 2H2O(l) __ O2(g)

==> / 4e / / +

Write sentences using words from above:

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 TEACHER ANSWER SHEET

The electrolysis of copper(II)

sulfate solution

The electrolyte copper(II) sulfate, provides a high concentration of copper(II) ions Cu 2+ and sulfate ions
SO42 to carry the current during the electrolysis process. There are small concentrations of hydrogen ions
H+ and hydroxide ions (OH) from the self-ionisation of water itself, but these can be ignored in this
experiment.

The electrolysis will only take place when electricity is passed through the copper solution.

The technical details of the electrolysis of copper sulfate solution with two different electrodes (a) graphite
(carbon) electrodes and (b) copper electrodes are all explained below.

Electrolysis of a aqueous copper(II) sulphate solution CuSO4(aq)

(a) The electrolysis of copper sulfate solution using inert electrodes

1. The products of electrolysing copper sulfate solution with inert electrodes (carbon/graphite or
platinum) are copper metal and oxygen gas.

and / of / oxygen / products / (carbon/graphite / metal / electrolysing / copper / sulfate /

gas.

2. The negative cathode electrode attracts Cu2+ ions (from copper sulfate) and H+ ions (from water).
Only the copper ion is discharged, being reduced to copper metal. The less reactive a metal, the

more readily its ion is reduced on the electrode surface.

Cu2+ / The / and / reduced / its / reactive / more / copper / a / metal. / ion / ions
/ discharged, / H+ / cathode / negative / surface. / (from / less / is / metal,

3. A copper deposit forms as the positive copper ions are attracted to the negative electrode (cathode)

electrode / attracted / copper / deposit / copper / A / the / negative

4. Cu2+(aq) + 2e ==> Cu(s)

==> / 2e / +

5. The traces of hydrogen ions are not discharged, so you not see any gas collected above the negative
electrode.

discharged, / are / gas / so / you / not / traces / not / see

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 6. he blue colour of the copper ion will fade as the copper ions are converted to the copper deposit on
the cathode

colour / deposit / blue / fade / ions / the / the / on / are / the / copper

7. Oxygen gas is formed at the positive electrode, an oxidation reaction (electron loss).

the / an / gas / oxidation / positive / Oxygen

8. The negative sulphate ions (SO42-) or the traces of hydroxide ions (OH) are attracted to the positive
electrode. But the sulfate ion is too stable and nothing happens. Instead either hydroxide ions or
water molecules are discharged and oxidised to form oxygen.

water / Instead / negative / is / ion / nothing / sulfate / oxygen. / are / electrode. /

hydroxide / (SO42-) / (OH) / hydroxide / to / either / the / ions / and / The / oxidised

9. (i) 4OH(aq) 4e ==> 2H2O(l) + O2(g)

==> / 4e / / +

Write sentences using words from above:

[Student worksheet has a 4 line writing exercise here.]

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