Re: pinhole electrolysis of water

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From: Paul Doherty (pauld@exploratorium.edu)
Date: Mon Mar 29 2004 - 13:29:44 PST 

From: "Paul Doherty" <pauld@exploratorium.edu>
Subject: Re: pinhole electrolysis of water
Date: Mon, 29 Mar 2004 13:29:44 -0800
Message-ID: <web-267807@exploratorium.edu>

Hi Treena

Electrolysis is never simple.

Perhaps the oxygen is reacting with your electrode before
it can form bubbles.

That's why people use platinum electrodes or at least
stainless steel.

Also don't use NaCl to make the water conductive use epsom
salt instead. It contributes fewer side reactions.

Perhaps Eric Muller the master of electrolysis will
comment?

Paul D

  

On Mon, 29 Mar 2004 10:38:12 -0800
  Treena Joi <tjoi@stanfordalumni.org> wrote:
>Okay .. I'm trying to set up an electrolysis of water
>demo ... and I
>can't for the life of me figure out what is going on!
>
>I have two test tubes ... two electrodes (cheesy ones),
>water with a bit
>of NaCl to help conduct the electricity ...
>
>The problem is that the negative electrode is going full
>bore ...
>releasing gas like a good little demo ...
>
>the other electrode is doing nada .. no gas ... no
>bubbles whatsoever!
>
>Shouldn't I have gas on both?
>
>Doesn't the evolution of gas on one imply that my circuit
>is complete and
>e- are flowing and splitting water? What am I missing?
> This is driving
>me nuts!
>
>
>Treena Joiful
>
>
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