$$ \text { Write equations for the electrolysis of } \mathrm{CaH}_{2} \text { in fused state. } $$

Short Answer

Expert verified
During electrolysis, calcium hydride (\(\text{CaH}_2\)) dissociates into calcium (\(\text{Ca}^{2+}\)) and hydride (\(\text{H}^-\)) ions. The cathode reaction is \(\text{Ca}^{2+} + 2\text{e}^- \rightarrow \text{Ca}\), while the anode reaction is \(2\text{H}^- \rightarrow \text{H}_2 + 2\text{e}^-\). The overall reaction is \(\text{CaH}_2 \rightarrow \text{Ca} + \text{H}_2\).

Step by step solution

01

Write Down the Dissociation of the Electrolyte

In the first step, determine how the compound dissociates into ions when it is in a molten state. In the case of calcium hydride, \( \text{CaH}_2 \) dissociates into calcium cations and hydride anions: \[ \text{CaH}_2 \rightarrow \text{Ca}^{2+} + 2\text{H}^- \]
02

Identify the Anode and Cathode Reactions

In the second step, we need to write down the reactions that occur at the cathode (negative electrode) and anode (positive electrode) separately. At the cathode, calcium cations will gain electrons (reduction), and at the anode, hydride ions will lose electrons (oxidation).
03

Write the Cathode Reaction

At the cathode, calcium ions accept electrons to form solid calcium. The cathode reaction can be represented as: \[ \text{Ca}^{2+} + 2\text{e}^- \rightarrow \text{Ca} \]
04

Write the Anode Reaction

At the anode, hydride ions donate electrons to form hydrogen gas. Since there are two hydride ions, they produce one molecule of hydrogen (\(H_2\)). The anode reaction can be written as: \[ 2\text{H}^- \rightarrow \text{H}_2 + 2\text{e}^- \]
05

Combine the Half Reactions

Combine the cathode and anode reactions to obtain the overall reaction for the electrolysis. Since the number of electrons in both half-reactions is the same, we can directly combine the half-reactions.
06

Write the Overall Equation

The overall equation for the process of electrolysis of molten \(\text{CaH}_2\) is: \[ \text{CaH}_2 \rightarrow \text{Ca} + \text{H}_2 \]

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Dissociation of Electrolyte
Understanding the process of electrolysis begins with the concept of the dissociation of electrolytes. An electrolyte is a substance that produces ions when dissolved or melted, thereby becoming capable of conducting electricity. In our case, \textbf{calcium hydride} (\text{CaH}\(_2\)), when in a fused state, dissociates into calcium cations (\text{Ca}\(^{2+}\)) and hydride anions (H\(^-\)).

This dissociation is crucial as it provides the charged particles necessary for the electrolytic reactions. In the molten state, the lack of a rigid structure allows these ions to move freely and carry electrical current through the liquid. The equation representing this is: \[ \text{CaH}_2 \rightarrow \text{Ca}^{2+} + 2\text{H}^- \] The \text{Ca}\(^{2+}\) ions will migrate towards the cathode, while the H\(^-\) ions will move towards the anode.
Cathode and Anode Reactions
During electrolysis, the electrodes, made of inert substances like platinum or graphite, play an essential role. Reactions at these electrodes are divided into two halves: the cathode reaction and the anode reaction, where reduction and oxidation occur, respectively.

At the \textbf{cathode}, which is the negative electrode, calcium ions (\text{Ca}\(^{2+}\)) gain electrons (e\(^-\)) to form solid calcium (Ca). This process is reduction because it involves a decrease in oxidation number. The cathode reaction can be represented as: \[ \text{Ca}^{2+} + 2\text{e}^- \rightarrow \text{Ca} \] Conversely, at the \textbf{anode}, the positive electrode, hydride ions (H\(^-\)) lose electrons to become hydrogen gas (\text{H}\(_2\)). Each hydride ion donates one electron, and two hydride ions are necessary to produce one molecule of hydrogen gas. This part of the process is called oxidation. The anode reaction is: \[ 2\text{H}^- \rightarrow \text{H}_2 + 2\text{e}^- \]
Half-Reactions in Electrolysis
Each electrode reaction during electrolysis can be characterized as a half-reaction. These half-reactions showcase the loss or gain of electrons, a defining trait of redox processes. The half-reactions occurring in the electrolysis of \text{CaH}\(_{2}\) highlight this electron transfer clearly.

\textbf{At the cathode:} \[ \text{Ca}^{2+} + 2\text{e}^- \rightarrow \text{Ca} \] This half-reaction shows the reduction of calcium ions, which gain electrons to form neutral calcium metal.

\textbf{At the anode:} \[ 2\text{H}^- \rightarrow \text{H}_2 + 2\text{e}^- \] Here we see the oxidation of hydride ions, which release electrons and result in the formation of hydrogen gas.

For the process to be continuous, the number of electrons lost must equal the number of electrons gained, maintaining the electrical neutrality of the system. Hence, the ability to balance these half-reactions and ensure that the electrons cancel each other out is vital.
Electrolysis Equations
Quantitative description of electrolysis involves writing out balanced electrolysis equations. These equations encompass the entire reaction happening within the electrolytic cell, combining the cathode and anode reactions.

The balanced formula for the electrolysis of molten \text{CaH}\(_{2}\) outlines the complete process, starting from dissociation to the final production of elements. For every mole of \text{CaH}\(_{2}\) that undergoes electrolysis, one mole of calcium and one mole of hydrogen gas is generated. The overall balanced equation is succinctly expressed as: \[ \text{CaH}_2 \rightarrow \text{Ca} + \text{H}_2 \] It's vital to recognize that the electrons involved in the half-reactions must be balanced, allowing for the correct stoichiometry of the full electrolysis equation. This demonstrates conservation of mass and charge, a fundamental principle in chemistry.

This comprehensive formulation encapsulates the entirety of the electrolytic process, embodying the start-to-finish transformation within the cell.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

A metal is known to form fluoride \(M \mathrm{~F}_{2}\). When 10 ampere electricity is passed throwgh i multen salt for \(330 \mathrm{sec}, 1.95 \mathrm{~g}\) metal is deposited. Find out the atomic weight of metal. What will be the quantity of charge required to deposit the same mass of \(\mathrm{Cu}\) from \(\mathrm{CuSO}_{4}\) (aq.) (At. wt. of \(\mathrm{Cu}=63.6\) )

For the cell : $$ \text { Zn }\left|\begin{array}{c} \mathrm{Zn}_{\text {aq }}^{2+} \\ 1 M \end{array}\right|\left|\begin{array}{c|c} \mathrm{Cu}_{a q}^{2+} \\ 2 M \end{array}\right| \mathrm{Cu} $$ Calculate the values for ; (a) cell reaction, (b) \(E_{\text {cell }}^{\circ}\). (c) \(E_{\text {cell }}\) (d) the minimum concentration of \(\mathrm{Cu}^{2+}\) at which cell reaction is spontaneous if \(\mathrm{Zn}^{2+}\) is \(1 M\) (e) does the displacement of \(\mathrm{Cu}^{2+}\) goes almost to completion. Given : \(E_{R P_{\mathrm{Cu}^{2+} / \mathrm{Cu}}}^{\circ}=+0.35 \mathrm{~V}\) $$ E_{R P_{\mathrm{Zn}^{2+} / Z n}}^{\circ}=-0.76 \mathrm{~V} $$

$$ \begin{aligned} &\text { The e.m.f. of the cell } M \mid M^{n+}(0.02 M) \| \mathrm{H}^{+}(1 M) \mathrm{H}_{2(\mathrm{~g})}(1 \mathrm{~atm}) \mathrm{Pt} \text { at }\\\ &25^{\circ} \mathrm{C} \text { is } 0.81 \mathrm{~V} \text { . Calculate the valence of metal if } E^{\circ}{ }_{\ldots 1 / 2}^{n+}=0.76 \mathrm{~V} \end{aligned} $$

The e.m.f. of a cell corresponding to the reaction : $$ \begin{aligned} \mathrm{Zn}(s)+2 \mathrm{H}^{+}(\mathrm{aq}) \longrightarrow \mathrm{Zn}^{2+}+& \mathrm{H}_{2}(\mathrm{~g}) \\ (0.1 \mathrm{M}) &(1 \mathrm{~atm}) \end{aligned} $$ is \(0.28 \mathrm{~V}\) at \(25^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) and \(E_{\mathrm{Zn} / \mathrm{Zn}^{2+}}^{\circ}=0.76 \mathrm{~V}\) (i) Write half cell reactions. (ii) Calculate \(\mathrm{pH}\) of the solution at \(\mathrm{H}\) electrode.

Calculate the standard cell potentials of galvanic cell in which the following reactions take place : (Given \(E_{\text {OP }}^{\circ} \mathrm{Cr}, \mathrm{Cd}, \mathrm{Fe}^{2+}, \mathrm{Ag}\) are \(0.74 \mathrm{~V}, 0.40 \mathrm{~V},-0.77 \mathrm{~V}\) and \(-0.80 \mathrm{~V}\) respectively) (a) \(2 \mathrm{Cr}_{(\mathrm{s})}+3 \mathrm{Cd}^{2+}\) (aq.) \(\longrightarrow 2 \mathrm{Cr}^{3+}{ }_{\text {(aq. })}^{3+} 3 \mathrm{Cd}\) (b) \(\mathrm{Fe}^{2+}{ }_{\text {(aq.) }}+\mathrm{Ag}_{(\mathrm{aq})}^{+} \longrightarrow \mathrm{Fe}^{3+}{ }_{\text {(aq.) }}+\mathrm{Ag}_{(\mathrm{s})}\) Calculate the \(\Delta_{\mathrm{r}} G^{\circ}\) and equilibrium constant of the reactions.

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