Re: pinhole Electrolysis using just a battery in a beaker?

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From: NFetter@aol.com
Date: Wed Nov 12 2003 - 11:54:55 PST 

From: NFetter@aol.com
Message-ID: <107.2886b7ad.2ce3ea0f@aol.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2003 14:54:55 EST
Subject: Re: pinhole Electrolysis using just a battery in a beaker?

Hi Ellen,
Did Eric's web site answer all your questions? Any direct current source 1.5
volts or higher when immersed in an electrolyte will form a gas at each
electrode. Since pure water is not an electrical conductor, gas evolution will not
occur. If you employ very dilute sulfuric acid, you will get hydrogen gas at
the cathode (-) and oxygen at the anode (+) in a ratio of 2 to 1. If the voltage
gets much above 10 volts, you will still get hydrogen at the cathode, but
more complex reactions occur at the anode and you mey not get any oxygen. If you
use table salt (NaCl) as the electrolyte, you will still get hydrogen at the
cathode, but there be chlorine evolved at the anode. There is no point in
immersing the battery in the electrolyte. Copper wires attached to the battery
poles and immersed in the electrolyte will produce bubbles.
Neil Fetter

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