Arxé Instituto

"Water electrolysis"

Mrs. María Guadalupe Castillo Alanís

Team #2

Mauricio Alanís Moreno #1

Diego Hernández Herrera #10

Mauricio Rocha Guzmán #15

Ricardo Roel Rodríguez Lozano #16

And God sAid, “Let there be A vAuLt between

the waters to separate water from wAter.”

Genesis 1:6

Index

Introduction and Question 1

Research and Hypothesis 2

Materials and Procedure 3

Conclusion and Bibliography 4

Introduction
This experiment called our attention completely because we were very interested in learning that
two gases can form a liquid and we can actually retrieve those two gases from the water.
In this demonstration we will try to decompose water unto two of its elements, hydrogen and oxygen.
We will do this by inducing an electric current into a mixture of water and Sodium Hydrogen
Carbonate.

And the understanding of this experiment is useful because by performing the electrolysis of water
we obtain green-produced hydrogen and it will also open our minds to discovering new ways to
apply water electrolysis in favor of the environment.

Question
How does a Hoffman’s voltmeter decompose water unto hydrogen and oxygen?

Research
The main concept of water electrolysis is the next:
Electrolysis is the process of using electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. This reaction
takes place in a unit called an electrolyzer. Like fuel cells, electrolyzes consist of an anode and a
cathode separated by an electrolyte.

First, we will explain what an electrolyte is.

An electrolyte is a substance that produces an electrically conducting solution when dissolved in a

polar solvent, such as water. But, why do we need an electrolyte to perform the experiment? Pure
water acts poorly as an electrical conductor so it wouldn’t let electrolysis happen, but an electrolyte
dissolves in water and separates into ions (electrically charged particles) that move through the
water permitting electricity to travel through them.

Now, we will explain how the reaction works.

To add electricity to the solution, two electrical conductors are needed to make contact with the
water. These are called electrodes and are mostly metals or other conductive materials. When
electrical current is applied to the electrodes, the ions (electrically charged atoms) in the
electrolyte—including the positively charged protons (H+) and negatively charged hydroxyl ions
(OH-) that result from the self-ionization of water—start moving toward the electrode with the
opposite charge, that is called “Cathode”, where hydrogen is released.

The electrolysis of water is an endothermic chemical reaction meaning that it needs and energy
input to accomplish, in this case: electrical energy.

Hypothesis
If an electric current can pass through the water efficiently with the help of an electrolyte, it will
decompose into oxygen and hydrogen.

Materials
 A tube and a water container.
 3 Elastic bands.
  2 Test tubes (with lids if possible).
 Sodium bicarbonate.
 Graphite leads.
 Water.
 Battery.
 2 Pairs of crocodile clip cables.
 Waterproof tape.

Procedure
1. First, we should place an elastic band around the tub.
2. Second, we put the last two elastic bands crossing each other across the top and bottom of
the tub.
3. Afterwards, we must settle the two test tubes without their lids with their opening down-side
in each of the two spaces that the elastic bands across the tub form with the borders of the
tub.
4. Then, connect the end of each crocodile clip cable to a lead of graphite.
5. Next, secure the cables to the tub with waterproof tape.
6. After that, insert the graphite leads which are attached to the crocodile clips into the test
tubes.
7. Then, connect the battery to the other end of the cables and secure it in the outer side of the
tub with the elastic band (notice that the circuit won't be completed until water is added to the
tub).
8. Next, in the container add water and mix it thoroughly with teaspoons of sodium bicarbonate.
What we just made is an electrolyte solution.
9. Now, you can add the electrolyte solution into the tub so the current flow can start.
10. Finally, submerge the test tubes in the water so they can be full of water and place them
again in place without letting the water drain out of the test tubes. You will now be able to see
how the hydrogen gas generated at the cathode and the oxygen gas generated at the anode
start arising through the test tubes. Notice that the test tube with the cathode will fill twice as
fast with hydrogen as the test tube with the anode will with oxygen because water has a twice
as many of hydrogen molecules atoms than it has of oxygen atoms.

Conclusion
Our hypothesis was partially correct, because we did decompose water into hydrogen, but the
oxygen mixed with sodium bicarbonate and became chloride. But why? Because of the electrolyte
we chose: sodium bicarbonate. Care must be taken in choosing an electrolyte, since an anion from
the electrolyte is in competition with the hydroxide ions to give up an electron. An electrolyte anion
with less standard electrode potential than hydroxide will be oxidized instead of the hydroxide, and
no oxygen gas will be produced. A cation with a greater standard electrode potential than a hydrogen
ion will be reduced in its stead, and no hydrogen gas will be produced. It all depends on your
circumstances and objectives but the most common electrolytes are strong acids such as sulfuric
acid (H2SO4), and strong bases such as potassium hydroxide (KOH), and sodium hydroxide (NaOH)
due to their strong conducting abilities.

Biblography
 jbiegun. “Electrolysis of Water Setup.” YouTube, YouTube, 2 Mar. 2014,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CtOrF2ENJg.
 martin.chaplin@btinternet.com, martin chaplin: “Electrolysis of Water.” Electrolysis of Water,
www1.lsbu.ac.uk/water/electrolysis.html.
 “ENERGY FOUNDATIONS for High School Chemistry.” Electrolysis of Water | Energy Foundations for High
School Chemistry, highschoolenergy.acs.org/content/hsef/en/how-do-we-use-energy/electrolysis-of-
water.html.
 education.com. “Electrolysis of Water Experiment | Science Project.” Science Project | Education.com, 11
Apr. 2014, www.education.com/science-fair/article/water-electrolysis/.