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Atoms And Electrolysis Experiment

explanatory Essay
2214 words
2214 words
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Background Research Zap! Sizzle! A bolt of lightning strikes the ocean and sends electric current through the salt water, killing all marine life in the vicinity of the strike. The electric charges zooming through the water instantly electrocute all organisms near the surface. This phenomenon can be explained by understanding atomic particles, solutions and chemical reactions, the basics of electricity, electrolytes, and electrolysis and the electrochemical cells it occurs in. All objects on Earth are made up of atoms. “Atoms are miniscule units that determine the properties of all matter” (Dobson, 2006, p. 104). An atom is the smallest division of an element that retains all of its properties. The nucleus is the central part of an atom, it is made up of protons and neutrons. Protons have a positive charge while neutrons do not have any charge. The positive charge of the protons causes the nucleus of an atom to have a positive charge. An element’s atomic mass is the number of protons in its nucleus. Surrounding the nucleus is a cloud of subatomic particles called electrons, which have a negative charge. Atoms as a …show more content…

In this essay, the author

  • Explains that a bolt of lightning strikes the ocean and sends electric current through the salt water, killing all marine life in the vicinity of the strike. the phenomenon can be explained by understanding atomic particles, solutions and chemical reactions.
  • Explains that an atom is the smallest division of an element that retains all of its properties. molecules are held together by chemical bonds.
  • Explains that some atoms have a positive or negative charge; these are called ions. most electrolytes are dissolved into water or another solvent, however some are solids.
  • Explains that chemical reactions occur when substances undergo chemical changes in order to form new substances.
  • Explains that ph is the logarithmic measure of hydrogen ion concentration in a solution or object.
  • Explains that electric current is the continuous flow of electric charges through a material. the cause of current in an electrical circuit is voltage.
  • Explains that electrolytes are dissolved into a liquid, and that solutions are homogenous or uniform. atoms alone are stable, but when atoms are near each other, they can react in many different ways.
  • Explains the oxidation-reduction reaction, which produces the electron that is the reactant for the reduction reaction. electroplating is an example of electrolysis.
  • Explains that batteries are made up of several electrochemical cells stacked on top of each other. understanding atomic particles can help one understand solutions, chemical reactions, and ph.

An example of a device that uses electrolysis is a rechargeable battery. Electrolysis consists of an electric current passing through a liquid, causing chemical reactions to occur within the liquid. Another example of electrolysis in the real world is the process of electroplating. In electroplating, chemicals are put in water and through electrolysis he chemicals or compounds in the liquid adhere to the metal being electroplated. Electrolysis can also be used to separate compounds and purify impure substances. Purifying a substances is achieved by separating the desired parts of a substance from the impure or unwanted sections through electrolysis. The process of electrolysis can also change the pH of a solution (Wolfson,

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