Electrolysis uses electricity to separate chemicals, you will have learned all about it in your science lessons.
But how much do you actually know about electricity! Why not have a read below before starting your revision.
Electricity travels extremely quickly, in fact it actually travels at 270,000 km per second, or in other words, at around 90% of the speed of light. There are conflicting reports of when electricity was discovered, but many believe that Benjamin Franklin discovered it in 1752. He flew a kite with a metal key tied to it during a thunderstorm, and realised that lightning is a form of electricity. However, the ancient Greeks discovered static electricity long before this. Back in 600 B.C. when they rubbed amber with materials like fur, they notice it attracted small objects like feathers. In fact, the Greek word for amber is “elektron”. William Gilbert, a scientist during the reign of Elizabeth 1st actually invented the term “electricity” based on the Greek word. In addition, he was the first person to recognise a connection between electricity and magnetism, and to discover that the Earth is actually a magnet!
GCSE scientists – you need to understand how electrolysis works. For help with this, try our new guide “How to work with Electrolysis”. It includes explanations on the electrolysis of molten compounds, and aqueous solutions. Included are half equations, questions for you to try, and answers to check your understanding.
To see the guide click the picture below.
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