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Electrolysis of Water

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base:
how on earth can you make hydrogen and some other gases using water and electricty?

Mitch:
It's just a simple electrolysis. Can you be more specific?

gregpawin:
Hmm... how much chemistry experience do you have?  I mean do you want to know about electrolysis or that the world is made of atoms and molecules?

One Armed Scissor:
Hmmm... Could someone explain how it works to me because I have never understood how it works, only what happens.

I know that on the Redox table, there is:

2H2O + 2 e- <---> H2 + 2 OH-

but  that has a hydroxide instead of an oxygen, and that doesn't make much sense. (How does water get split by electricity?)

AWK:
Electrolysis of water solution of strong base (eg NaOH or KOH)
Kathode: 4H2O + 4e- = 2H2(g) + 4OH-
Anode: 4OH- = O2(g) + 4e-


Electrolysis of water solution of strong acid (eg H2SO4)
Kathode: 4H3O+ + 4e- = 2H2(g) + 4H2O
Anode: 6H2O = O2(g) +b4H3O+  4e-


Summary reaction in both cases:
2H2O = 2H2(g) + O2(g)
And remember - anode and cathode compartments should be precisely separated during electrolysis to avoid explosion. Use direct curent about 3V.

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