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Grade 12th passPhysical Chemistry

How much quantity of electricity has to be passed through 200ml of 0.5M CuSO4 solution to completely deposit copper? Answer - 2×9650

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8 Years agoGrade 12th pass
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To determine the quantity of electricity required to completely deposit copper from a 200 ml solution of 0.5 M CuSO4, we need to delve into some electrochemistry concepts. The process involves understanding Faraday's laws of electrolysis, particularly how moles of electrons relate to the amount of substance deposited at the electrodes.

Understanding the Reaction

When copper sulfate (CuSO4) is electrolyzed, copper ions (Cu²⁺) in the solution are reduced to solid copper (Cu) at the cathode. The half-reaction for this process can be written as:

  • Cu²⁺ + 2e⁻ → Cu(s)

This equation tells us that it takes 2 moles of electrons to deposit 1 mole of copper. Therefore, the first step is to calculate how many moles of copper we have in the solution.

Calculating Moles of Cu

Using the molarity and volume of the solution, we can find the number of moles of Cu²⁺:

  • Volume of solution = 200 ml = 0.2 L
  • Molarity (M) = 0.5 M
  • Moles of Cu²⁺ = Molarity × Volume = 0.5 mol/L × 0.2 L = 0.1 moles

Determining the Required Charge

Next, we need to find out how many moles of electrons are required to deposit 0.1 moles of copper. Since each mole of copper requires 2 moles of electrons, we calculate:

  • Moles of electrons = 0.1 moles of Cu × 2 = 0.2 moles of electrons

Now, we can use Faraday's constant to find the total charge needed. Faraday's constant (approximately 96500 C/mol) tells us the charge required to transfer one mole of electrons.

Calculating Total Charge

The total charge (Q) can be calculated as follows:

  • Q = moles of electrons × Faraday's constant
  • Q = 0.2 moles × 96500 C/mol = 19300 C

Final Result

Thus, the quantity of electricity that needs to be passed through the solution to completely deposit copper is:

  • Q = 19300 C
  • Which can also be expressed as 2 × 9650 C (since 19300 C = 2 × 9650 C).

In summary, to completely deposit copper from 200 ml of a 0.5 M CuSO4 solution, you would need to pass approximately 19300 coulombs of electricity, or equivalently, 2 × 9650 C. This illustrates the relationship between the amount of substance, the charge required, and the fundamental principles of electrolysis.