[mixy]

hi ive got a question that i just dont understand in my asignment. ive tried and tried to work it out but i just dont know how to answer it!

this is the question:
analyse and present information to model the boiling of water and the electrolysis of water tracing the movements of and changes in the arrangement of the molecules....

bascially its asking about what happens during the process of boiling water and the electrolysis of water. how do these processes affect the movements and any changes in the molecules.

plz any info sites anything!! would be appreciated


Edit: edited title for better indexing. Mitch

[Seymor-Omnis]

I believe, if I am not mistaken and I could be, when you boil water it is turned into its gas state, where as when electrolysis is performed on water it "splits" the water apart as shown below.

2H₂O --> 2H₂ + O₂

When you perform electrolysis you can collect the oxygen gas and hydrogen gas in two different test tubes, which is very cool.

P.S.  If I am wrong please correct me so I can understand what happens, and so I don't confuse ne1 else  

[Donaldson Tan]

perhaps.. (1) describe the boiling process, (2) describe the electrolysis process, (3) compare them.. I am sure u know (1) & (2) pretty well..

Both cases involve water at liquid state initially, so the molecules are at random continuous motion with significant intermolecular bonding.

Application of heat increases the average KE of the water molecules to the point that it balances out with the intermolecular attraction. Furthur heating would therefore overcome the forces of attraction and water boils off.

2H₂O <=> H₃O⁺ + OH^-
Water exihibits autoprotolysis as abovementioned. The electrodes would attract ions that is oppositely charged to it, and thus discharges these ions to form H2 and O2. This shifts the equilibrium due to right, and the electrolysis process continue to discharge the ions as below:

Cathode reaction:
2H₃O⁺  + 2e => H₂ + 2H₂O

Anode reaction:
4OH^- => O₂ + 2H₂O + 4e

Overall reaction:
2H₂O =>2H₂ + O₂