Activity which explains that hydrogen and oxygen are released when electric current is passed through water
Answers
Answer:
Water, being a molecule with polar charge distribution (more negative oxygen and more positive hydrogen), is broken down into hydrogen and oxygen upon exposure to a sufficiently strong electric current. The current causes half of the molecule to be attracted while the other half is repelled, ripping it in half.
activity
Take a plastic vessel. Drill two holes at its bottom
and set rubber stoppers in these holes.
Insert carbon electrodes in these rubber stoppers and connect these electrodes to a 6 volt battery and a switch.
Fill the vessel with water such that the electrodes are immersed. Add a few drops of dilute sulphuric acid to the water in the vessel.
Take two graduated test tubes filled with water and invert them over the two carbon electrodes.
Switch on the current.
After sometime, you will observe the formation of bubbles at both the electrodes. These bubbles displace water in the graduated tubes.
Once the test tubes are filled with the respective gases, remove them carefully.
Test these gases one by one by bringing a burning splinter of wood close to the mouth of test tubes.
When the glowing splinter of wood is brought close to the mouth of one test tube, it relights and when it is brought close to the mouth of other test tube, the gas burns with a pop. Oxygen is the only common gas that relights the splinter and hydrogen gas burns with a pop.
Explanation: