[LeFowl]

At the end of an electrolysis with an electrolyte of concentrated NaCl sol'n and inert elctrodes, will the electrolyte be acidic,neutral or basic?

[Borek]

Write reaction equations.

[LeFowl]

2Cl-(aq) -2e-  Cl2(g)
2H+(aq) +2e-  H2(g)

[killer120]

2Cl-(aq) -2e-  right arrow Cl2(g)
2H+(aq) +2e-  right arrow H2(g)
i think if the electrolysis experiment really continue until the end...the electrolyte will become basic because there will be a lot OH- ions inside it.....am i right?

[LeFowl]

well i had a test yesterday and that was one of the questions XD. i put basic. we didn't even do this sstuff in class

[LeFowl]

so can anyone tell me whether it will be acidic, neutral or basic?

[Stephen]

At the end of an electrolysis with an electrolyte of concentrated NaCl sol'n and inert elctrodes, will the electrolyte be acidic,neutral or basic?

Well, if I understand question well(not from USA or etc)....I'd say neutral...
You know that NaOH is strong base and HCl is strong acid ==>there is no electrolysis and there is going to be neutral solution....But this is just if i understood question good:D

Greetings

[Borek]

killer is right.

Think: where does H⁺ come from? What must be left in the solution?

[LeFowl]

Thanks alot =D

[dufengtao]

NaCl+H₂O :rarrow:Cl₂+H₂+NaOH. This equation has the answer in it's production.

[408]

Note that while you may think H2O is the strongest reducing agent present which would end up giving H+ to cancel the OH-, H2O needs an overpotential, so Cl- oxidation is preferred, giving Cl2.

Some Cl2 will react with the NaOH giving hypo chlorite and chlorate, but the amount that escapes means the cell goes basic.

Overpotential see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overpotential

[killer120]

but i got one question to ask you all....actually where does the water (H+ and OH-) come from?i thought the NaOH solution is concentrated....so why still has water exist in the solution?can you all help me?explain to me...

[Borek]

actually where does the water (H+ and OH-) come from?i thought the NaOH solution is concentrated....so why still has water exist in the solution?

As long as it is solution it contains water (or some other solvent) by definition.

I am not sure what your problem is.

[pip]

Electrolysis of saturated sodium chloride is THE lab synthesis of sodium chlorate all this Cl2 and H+ talk seems unlikely as H2 is formed not H+

NaCl + 3H2O → NaClO3 + 3H2