Help with Electrolysis: DC Power Supply & Cathode

[lwymarie]

bigKIDmarie* (下午 03:22) :

a passage from my chem textbk:
a d.c. power supply acts as an electron pump. if forces electrons from its negative pole to the cathode of the electrolytic cell. the cathode thus has excess electrons and becomes negatively charged.

does it mean that the d.c. power supply sends electrons to the cathode? but before the electrolyte starts decomposing, i.e. before it can conduct electricity, the circuit of d.c. supply + wire + graphite rod + electrolyte is not closed. So why is that the electrons can flow to the cathode?

 

[mrjeffy321]

One might be able to think of it as a capacitor.
In a capacitor, current does not flow through the capacitor, but yet, there is still a circuit while the capacitor is charging.

But in an electrolytic cell, the key is the electrolyte. When the electrolyte dissassociatate into ions when it is dissolved. These ions allow the flow of electrons through the water. So really, the circuit is closed when you first turn on the current.

 

[Blueshift5]

Yes, the d.c. power supply sends electrons to the cathode. The flow of electrons is essential for the electrolysis process to occur. Even though the circuit is not closed before the electrolyte starts decomposing, the electrons are still able to flow to the cathode through the wire and graphite rod due to the potential difference created by the d.c. power supply. Once the electrolyte starts conducting electricity, the circuit is complete and the flow of electrons to the cathode becomes more significant. This creates a negative charge on the cathode, which attracts positively charged ions from the electrolyte, leading to the decomposition of the electrolyte.