Determine the species that discharged at cathode for the electrolysis of na₂so₄ solution in inert electrode

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determine the species that discharged at cathode for the electrolysis of na₂so₄ solution in inert electrode.

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What happens during the electrolysis of an Na₂SO₄ solution with an inert electrode?

During the electrolysis of an Na₂SO₄ solution using an inert electrode, such as platinum, several chemical reactions occur. The positive ions (cations) and negative ions (anions) present in the solution move towards the respective electrodes due to the electric field established in the electrolysis.

Species discharged at the cathode:

At the cathode, where reduction takes place, the species that will be discharged depends on the relative reduction potentials of the available ions in the solution. In the case of an Na₂SO₄ solution, the cations present are Na⁺ and H⁺.

  1. Sodium ion (Na⁺):
    The reduction potential of sodium ions is higher than that of hydrogen ions, so sodium ions will be preferentially discharged at the cathode as metallic sodium (Na).

  2. Hydrogen ion (H⁺):
    If the concentration of sodium ions is insufficient or the reduction potential of hydrogen ions is higher, hydrogen ions will be discharged at the cathode as hydrogen gas (H₂).

Therefore, when electrolyzing an Na₂SO₄ solution with an inert electrode at the cathode, the species that predominantly discharges is sodium ions (Na⁺) to form metallic sodium (Na).

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