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  • Our topic for today is Electrolytic Refining of Metals.

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  • Electrolytic refining is the process of obtaining pure metals like gold, silver, copper etc. by the process of electrolysis.

  • Electrolytic refining of copper.

  • Take an electrolyte of acidified copper sulfate solution.

  • Take the anode as a thick rod of impure copper and the cathode as a thin rod of pure copper.

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  • Current is passed through the solution, as a result the acidified Copper Sulfate electrolytic solution splits into copper ions and sulfate ions.

  • The copper ions from the electrolyte get attracted towards the cathode.

  • The copper ions gain 2 electrons from the cathode and deposit as pure copper atoms on the thin copper rod.

  • At the same time, the copper atoms from the anode lose 2 electrons, get converted into copper ions and dissolve in the electrolytic solution.

  • Thus, the concentration of the electrolyte remains the same.

  • In this way, indirectly, copper atoms from the anode get deposited on the cathode repeatedly.

  • Hence, eventually size of the anode decreases and size of the cathode increases.

  • The reactions that take place at the anode and cathode are as follows.

  • In this way, all the pure copper from the anode deposits on the cathode.

  • The impurities in the impure copper rod settle down as anode mud at the bottom of the container.

Our topic for today is Electrolytic Refining of Metals.

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