C4: Electrolysis

Q1.
This question is about electrolysis.

A student investigated the electrolysis of copper chromate solution.

Copper chromate solution is green.

Copper chromate contains:

•   blue coloured Cu2+ ions
•   yellow coloured CrO42– ions.

The diagram below shows the apparatus used.

The student switched the power supply on.

The student observed the changes at each electrode.

The table below shows the student’s observations.

 
Changes at positive Changes at negative
electrode electrode

Solution turned yellow

Solution turned blue
Bubbles formed at the
Solid formed on the electrode
electrode

(a)  Explain why the colour changed at the positive electrode.

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(2)

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C4: Electrolysis
(b)  The gas produced at the positive electrode was oxygen.

The oxygen was produced from hydroxide ions.

Name the substance in the solution that provides the hydroxide ions.

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(1)

(c)  Describe how the solid forms at the negative electrode.

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(3)

(d)  The student repeated the investigation using potassium iodide solution instead of
copper chromate solution.

Name the product at each electrode when potassium iodide solution is electrolysed.

Negative electrode

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Positive electrode

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(2)
(Total 8 marks)

Q2.
A student investigated the electrolysis of different substances.

Figure 1 shows the apparatus.

Figure 1 

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C4: Electrolysis
(a)  Explain why electrolysis would not take place in the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

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(2)

(b)  Explain why graphite conducts electricity.

Answer in terms of the structure and bonding in graphite.

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(3)

The student investigated how the volume of gases produced changes with time in the
electrolysis of sodium chloride solution.

Figure 2 shows the apparatus.

Figure 2 

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C4: Electrolysis
(c)  The student made an error in selecting the apparatus for this investigation.

How should the apparatus be changed?

Give one reason for your answer.

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(2)

Another student used the correct apparatus.

This student measured the volumes of gases collected every minute for 20 minutes.

Figure 3 shows the student’s results.

Figure 3 

(d)  Describe the trends shown in the results.

Use values from Figure 3.

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C4: Electrolysis
(3)

(e)  The number of moles of each gas produced at the electrodes is the same.

No gas escapes from the apparatus.

Suggest one reason for the difference in volume of each gas collected.

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(1)

(f)  Calculate the amount in moles of chlorine collected after 20 minutes.

Use Figure 3.

The volume of one mole of any gas at room temperature and pressure is 24.0 dm3
Give your answer in standard form.

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Moles of chlorine = ___________________ mol

(3)
(Total 14 marks)

Q3.
This question is about magnesium and magnesium chloride.

(a)     Magnesium chloride contains magnesium ions (Mg2+) and chloride ions (Cl⁻).

Describe, in terms of electrons, what happens when a magnesium atom reacts with
chlorine atoms to produce magnesium chloride.

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(4)

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C4: Electrolysis
(b)     Magnesium chloride can be electrolysed.

The diagram below shows two experiments for electrolysing magnesium chloride.

(i)      Explain why magnesium chloride must be molten or dissolved in water to be

electrolysed.

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(2)

(ii)     Explain how magnesium is produced at the negative electrode in Experiment

1.

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(3)

(iii)    In Experiment 2 a gas is produced at the negative electrode.

Name the gas produced at the negative electrode.

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(1)

(iv)     Suggest why magnesium is not produced at the negative electrode in

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C4: Electrolysis
Experiment 2.

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(1)

(v)     Complete and balance the half equation for the reaction at the positive
electrode.

→       Cl        +       _____
_____ Cl⁻        2

(1)

(c)     Magnesium is a metal.

Explain why metals can be bent and shaped.

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(2)
(Total 14 marks)

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C4: Electrolysis
Mark schemes

Q1.
(a)  CrO42- / chromate ions moved to the positive electrode
allow anode for positive electrode
allow yellow (coloured) ions moved to the
positive electrode
1

(because) opposite charges attract

allow (because) negative ions are attracted to the
positive electrode
1

(b)  water
ignore copper chromate solution
1

(c)  copper ions gain two electrons

allow Cu2+ for copper ions
allow 1 mark for copper ions gain electrons
or
allow 1 mark for copper ions are reduced
do not accept copper ions are oxidised
2

(to) form copper (atoms)

allow Cu for copper (atoms)
the equation:
Cu2+ + 2e- → Cu
scores 3 marks
1

(d)  (negative electrode) hydrogen

allow H2
1

(positive electrode) iodine

allow I2
1
[8]

Q2.
(a)  solid (zinc chloride) does not conduct (electricity)
or
zinc chloride needs to be in solution or molten
allow liquid / aqueous
1

(because) ions cannot move in the solid

or
(as) ions can (only) move in liquid / solution

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C4: Electrolysis
do not accept references to movement of
electrons in zinc chloride
1

(b)  each carbon / atom forms 3 (covalent) bonds

1

one electron per carbon / atom is delocalised

1

(so) these electrons carry charge through the graphite

or
(so) these electrons move through the structure
ignore carry current / electricity
1
if no other mark scored, allow 1 mark for
delocalised / free electrons
allow free electrons for delocalised electrons

(c)  use measuring cylinders (instead of test tubes)

allow use burettes
allow use (gas) syringes
allow Hoffmann voltameter
1

(because) test tubes cannot measure volume

or
(because) test tubes have no graduations / scale
allow (so that) volume can be measured
1

(d)  any three from:

•   the volume of hydrogen collected is directly proportional to the time

allow the (volume of) hydrogen is collected at a
constant / steady rate

•   the rate of collection of hydrogen is 0.45 (cm3/min)

•   up to 8 minutes chlorine is collected at an increasing rate

allow any value from 6 to 8 minutes
allow initially chlorine is collected at an increasing
rate

•   after 8 minutes the rate of collection of chlorine is the same as that of

hydrogen
allow any value from 6 to 8 minutes

    or
    after 8 minutes the rate of collection of chlorine is 0.45 (cm3/min)
allow after 8 minutes the (volume of) chlorine is
collected at a constant / steady rate
if neither bullet point 3 nor bullet point 4 is
awarded allow 1 mark for chlorine is collected
slowly up to 8 minutes and then more quickly

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C4: Electrolysis
allow any value from 6 to 8 minutes
3

(e)  chlorine reacts with water

or
chlorine dissolves (in the solution).
1

(f)  

or 0.0066 (dm3)
allow 6.5 (cm3) for 6.6 (cm3)
1

 
allow use of incorrect volume from step 1
1

= 2.75 × 10−4 (mol)

allow 2.8 × 10−4 (mol)
allow answer from incorrect calculation given in
standard form
alternative approach for marking points 1 and 2
24 dm3 = 24 000 cm3 (1)

 
1
an answer of 2.75 × 10 (mol) or 2.8 × 10 (mol)
−4 −4

scores 3 marks
an answer of 0.000275 / 0.00028 / 2.75 × 10−1 /
2.8 × 10−1 (mol) / scores 2 marks
an incorrect answer for one step does not
prevent allocation of marks for subsequent steps
[10]

Q3.
(a)     magnesium loses two electrons and chlorine gains one electron
accept magnesium loses electrons and chlorine gains
electrons for 1 mark
ignore oxidation and reduction
2

one magnesium and two chlorines

accept MgCl2
1

noble gas structure

or

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C4: Electrolysis
eight electrons in the outer shell
accept full outer shell (of electrons)

or

(electrostatic) attraction between ions

or

forms ionic bonds

do not accept covalent bonds
1
reference to incorrect particles or incorrect bonding or
incorrect structure = max 3

(b)     (i)      because ions can move

ignore ions attracted
do not accept molecules / atoms moving
do not accept incorrect reference to electrons moving
1

(and ions move) to the electrodes

or

(and ions) carry charge

1
accept converse for solid

(ii)     magnesium (ions) attracted (to the electrode)

1

so magnesium ions gain electrons

accept magnesium ions are reduced
ignore oxidised
1

2 electrons
accept a correct half equation for 2nd and 3rd marking points
1

(iii)     hydrogen
allow H2
1

(iv)     magnesium is more reactive than hydrogen

accept converse
allow magnesium is high in the reactivity series or
magnesium is very/too reactive.
do not accept magnesium ions are more reactive than
hydrogen ions
1

(v)     2 Cl- → Cl2 + 2e-

must be completely correct

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C4: Electrolysis
1

(c)     layers (of particles/atoms/ions)

1
(particles/atoms/ions/layers) can slide
1
any mention of intermolecular / weak bonds/forces = max 1
[14]

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