When the anode (conductive metal) and cathode (copper) are submerged within the solution and an potential difference is applied, i.e a battery pack, cations would be forced to the cathode. Upon reaching the cathode the cations would intake electrons and become neutral atoms, consequently the copper would be deposited on to the cathode. Anions rather are directed towards the anode and due to their charge they lose their two electrons; becoming neutral. However, in this case as radical cannot exist in its neutral state, it again reacts with the anode to form copper sulphate. Furthermore, because of this it is concluded that, during electroplating of copper, copper is deposited on cathode and same amount of copper is removed from anode. Refer to figure 2 for half reactions of this process and figure 3 for diagram of this process.
-Reduced; reduction occurs at anode -Oxidized; oxidation occurs at cathode.
Figure 2.
The rate at which substance is formed during electrolysis is dependent upon the current passed that system. Current is the flow of electrons through a system and is measured in amperes; the strength of current is dependent u111pon the amount of charge transferred in a unit of time (Kahn Academy, 2016). Current is mathematically expressed as , from this it can be concluded that charge is also the integral of current. One ampere is equivalent to one coulomb of electricity transferred in one second. This is mathematically represented as , where one coulomb is approximately. .
When there is more charge flowing through a cell there are more electrons for disposal for the redox reactions to proceed, therefore more substance would be formed (Kahn Academy, 2016). There by, within electroplating the higher the current, the greater amount of metal deposition over a time period. Current is directly proportional to the potential difference or voltage applied if the systems resistance is fixed and directly proportional to the electrical conductance of a cell if the voltage applied is constant.
