Electrolysis
Electrolysis is a method of breaking chemical compounds down into their individual elements. It involves the running of an electric current through the compound, either in water or in a molten state. For example, the compound sodium chloride (i.e., salt) is composed of two elements, sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl). When a pair of electrodes is submersed in molten sodium chloride and an electric current is passed through it, the salt decomposes. The net result is sodium metal and chlorine gas.
During electrolysis, ions from the different elements separate from each other by colliding with opposite electrodes. When this collision occurs, the ions form stable atoms or molecules by either gaining or losing some of their electrons.
Though this action had been witnessed by scientists before him, it was Michael Faraday who first understood it and wrote what are now called “Faraday’s Laws” to explain electrolysis. His careful work studying electrolysis led him to calculate both the amounts of different substances given off during electrolysis and predictions for the outcome of any electrolysis.
ONELINER: Electrolysis
OTHER CONNECTIONS: None
BIBLIOGRAPHY: “Faraday’s Law”. Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2003. Retrieved online December 1 from: http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/F/Faradays.asp.**
“Faraday’s Laws”. Retrieved online November 30 from: http://www.timelinescience.org/resource/students/faraday/law.htm.**
Roper, Gerald C. “Faraday’s Laws of Electrolysis”. Retrieved from online version of Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia, December 3 http://go.grolier.com/.**
“Michael Faraday.” Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2nd ed. 17 Vols. Gale Research, 1998. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: The Gale Group. 2003. http://0-galenet.galegroup.com.mill1.sjlibrary.org:80/servlet/BioRC.**
Netterville, John T., “electrolysis.” Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Scholastic Library Publishing, 2004 (December 3, 2003).
Land, Barbara. “Faraday, Michael (1791-1867). The New Book of Knowledge. Retrieved December 3 online from: http://go.Grolier.com.