The product of the electrolysis of aqueous sodium chloride (NaCl) using inert electrodes are

JAMB Chemistry 2023 62 views

The product of the electrolysis of aqueous sodium chloride (NaCl) using inert electrodes are

  1. Hydrogen gas at the cathode and oxygen gas at the anode ✓
  2. Sodium metal at the cathode and chloride at the anode
  3. Hydrogen gas at the anode and oxygen gas at the cathode
  4. Sodium metal at the cathode and oxide at the anode

Explanation

Water splits during NaCl electrolysis. Hydrogen gas forms at the negative cathode. Oxygen gas forms at the positive anode. Sodium and chlorine stay dissolved.

Sodium doesn’t deposit because it’s too reactive. It stays as Na⁺ ions. Chlorine forms chlorine gas, not oxide. The electrode positions matter.

Remember: In aqueous solutions, water often splits instead of depositing reactive metals.

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