Question

My observation :

Let's assume that the electrolyte is copper sulphate. There are two electrodes: anode and cathode. we want to purify an impure copper. So, let's attached some impure copper to the anode and a strip of pure copper to the cathode. So, let's put on the switch. Now, we will observe that the copper gets dissolved in copper sulphate( Cu2SO4 ) and get attached to the cathode. Hence, the impurities and undisturbed get settled down and is called anode mud this process is called electrolysis.




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Answer 1

Electrolysis of Copper Sulfate

Whenever copper sulfate or CuSO4 is added to water, it gets dissolved in the water. As CuSO4 is an electrolyte, it splits into Cu+ + (cation) and SO4 − − (anion) ions and move freely in the solution.

The Cu+ + ions (cation) will be attracted towards cathode i.e. the electrode connected to the negative terminal of the battery. On reaching on the cathode, each Cu+ + ion will take electrons from it and becomes neutral copper atoms.In the above process, after taking electrons the neutral copper atoms get deposited on the cathode. At the same time, SO4 reacts with copper anode and becomes CuSO4 but in water it can not exist as single molecules instead of that CuSO4 will split into Cu+ +, SO4 − − and dissolve in water. So it can be concluded that, during electrolysis of copper sulfate with copper electrodes, copper is deposited on cathode and same amount of copper is removed from anode. If during electrolysis of copper sulfate, we use carbon electrode instead of copper or other metal electrodes, then electrolysis reactions will be little bit different. Actually SO4 can not react with carbon and in this case the SO4 will react with water of the solution and will form sulfuric acid and liberate oxygen.

The process described above is known as electrolysis.

Similarly the SO4 − − (anion) ions will be attracted by anode i.e. the electrode connected to the positive terminal of the battery. So SO4 − − ions will move towards anode where they give up two electrons and become SO4 radical.But since SO4 radical can not exist in the electrical neutral state, it will attack copper anode and will form copper sulfate.

In the above process, after taking electrons the neutral copper atoms get deposited on the cathode. At the same time, SO4 reacts with copper anode and becomes CuSO4 but in water it can not exist as single molecules instead of that CuSO4 will split into Cu+ +, SO4 − − and dissolve in water. So it can be concluded that, during electrolysis of copper sulfate with copper electrodes, copper is deposited on cathode and same amount of copper is removed from anode. If during electrolysis of copper sulfate, we use carbon electrode instead of copper or other metal electrodes, then electrolysis reactions will be little bit different. Actually SO4 can not react with carbon and in this case the SO4 will react with water of the solution and will form sulfuric acid and liberate oxygen.

The process described above is known as electrolysis.

Answer 2

In electrolyte refining of metal, impure metal is made cathode while a strip of pure metal is used as anode.

Reason

The pure metal gets deposited at anode as anode mud.

Answer

Both Assertion and Reason are incorrect

In the Electrolytic refining method, the impure metal is made to act as anode. A strip of same metal in pure form is used as cathode. They are put in a suitable electrolytic bath containing soluble salt of same metal. The more basic metal remains in the solution and less basic ones go to the anode mud.

Copper is refined using an electrolytic method, anode of impure copper and pure copper strips are taken as cathode in the acidified copper sulphate solution. Impurities from the blister copper deposit as anode mud.