Description
Though some might consider electricity to be a phenomenon best studied by physicists and engineers, our understanding of it is deeply rooted in the study of chemistry. Electricity is the flow of electrons, it can be generated by chemical reactions, and electrical energy can drive chemical reactions. Electrolysis is a process that uses electric current through a solution to cause an otherwise non-spontaneous oxidation–reduction reaction to occur. Students will investigate electrolysis in solutions and use their observations to answer the Driving Question, “What evidence can we use to support the claim that electrolysis is occurring when electric current passes through a solution?”
Time Requirement
Total, 120 minutes. Teacher prep, 15 minutes; prelab, 30 minutes; 4 investigations, 60 minutes; and assessment, 15 minutes.
Digital Resources
Includes 1-year access to digital resources that support 3-dimensional instruction for NGSS. Digital resources may include digital teacher manual and student guide, pre-lab activities and setup videos, phenomenon videos, simulations, and post-lab analysis and assessments.
Crosscutting Concepts
Cause and Effect: Mechanism and Prediction
Disciplinary Core Ideas
PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter
Science and Engineering Practices
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
Learning Objectives
- Use evidence to infer the products of the electrolysis of water
- Identify the role of electrolytes in the electrolysis of water
- Construct an evidence-based argument about the products formed during the electrolysis of potassium iodide
Prior Knowledge and Skills
Students should have a basic understanding of writing and balancing chemical reactions, oxidation states, acid-base chemistry and pH, and be able to use chemical symbols and formulas.