ELECTROLYSIS: IONIC THEORY
CONTENT
- Introduction to Ionic Theory
- Meaning of Electrolysis
- Terminologies
- Comparison of Electrolytic Cells and Electrochemical Cells
- Principles of Electrolysis
- Electrochemical Series
Introduction to Ionic Theory
Ionic theory was used to explain the behaviour of electrolytes when electric current is passed through their solution.
A Swedish chemist, Swante Arrherius (1887), was the first to present the ionic theory to describe electrolysis. The theory proposed that when an electrolyte is melted or dissolved in water, some if not all of the molecules of the substance dissociate into freely-moving charge ions i.e. positive ions (called cations) and negative ions (anions). The process of dissociation into ions is called ionization.
When an electric current is passed through an electrolyte, the free ions lose their random movement. The positive ion becomes attracted to the negative electrode (called the cathode) while the negative ions move toward the positive electrode (called anode). It is this ionization and mobility of ions that constitute current flow.
Arrhenius version of the ionic theory has been modified since the X-ray diffraction studies show that salts and strong alkalis consists of oppositely charged ions even in solid state.
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