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Topic: Electrolysis question 2  (Read 2355 times)

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Offline wachanna

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Electrolysis question 2
« on: July 04, 2021, 02:52:27 PM »
I have no conventional education besides elementary school and what i learned myself. I know im supposed to show what i think happens but i don't know, thats why i am here. To try to learn. If i have 2 electrodes, one copper, one silver, and put them into a sodium hydroxide solution, and apply voltage, will silver be plated on copper or vice versa? What voltage would this occur and or not occur? What would be the overall reaction/s occuring?

Online Borek

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Re: Electrolysis question 2
« Reply #1 on: July 04, 2021, 03:45:47 PM »
Broadly speaking yes, with a correct electrolyte choice you can get one electrode to dissolve and deposit on the other, in the case of Ag/Cu chances are it can be done both ways, depending on which electrode is connected to + and which to - (or, in more chemical terms, which electrode is set up to be anode and which to be cathode of the cell).

But sodium hydroxide which you mention in every thread is a very bad electrolyte for that, one in which I doubt any plating will take place.
« Last Edit: July 04, 2021, 04:21:35 PM by Borek »
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Offline wachanna

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Re: Electrolysis question 2
« Reply #2 on: July 04, 2021, 04:42:28 PM »
Broadly speaking yes, with a correct electrolyte choice you can get one electrode to dissolve and deposit on the other, in the case of Ag/Cu chances are it can be done both ways, depending on which electrode is connected to + and which to - (or, in more chemical terms, which electrode is set up to be anode and which to be cathode of the cell).

But sodium hydroxide which you mention in every thread is a very bad electrolyte for that, one in which I doubt any plating will take place.

Can you help me understand what reactions take place and why, please

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