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Electrolysis of Water

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One Armed Scissor:
in other words, electrolysis cannot be done with water alone, and requires there to be a second reducing agent. Yes?

Scratch-:
You can do electrolysis on water alone but it proceeds slowly. Adding an acid or base will increase conductivity of the solution while not usually affecting the gasses that are given off. You can do electrolysis by taking a battery and connect wires to it and dip the wires into the solution. You end up with hydrogen on one electrode and oxygen on the other. If you add another compound like sodium chloride for example it will break it apart and in this case forms hydrogen and sodium hydroxide on one electrode and oxygen and gaseous chlorine on the other.

Donaldson Tan:
http://www.chemicalforums.com/index.php?board=4;action=display;threadid=64

You may make reference to the abovementioned link.

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