Thread: Purification of Copper

Hello every1 (I am a new member)

Today In Chemistry class we were doing about electrolysis. We purified some copper by electrolysis. In a beaker we put some copper sulphate solution and the anode was made of purified copper and the cathode was a piece of unpurified copper, we put a direct current through the solution and purified copper was formed on the cathode.

I know that the anode(Cu) loses electrons and becomes Cu2+ and gets attracted to the cathode and forms Cu atom.
But the thing I don't understand is why and how does the anode (Cu) becomes ion Cu2+

Originally Posted by ahmad18

But the thing I don't understand is why and how does the anode (Cu) becomes ion Cu2+

http://www.oneonta.edu/faculty/kotzj...etal_redox.pdf
Read this .pdf and ask if still unclear

Still do not understand how Cu anode changes to Cu2+ ions

Can you be specific about what it is that's giving you trouble?

I think the OP hasn't wrote the question properly. I'm assuming that both the electrodes are made out of copper and are in copper sulfate solution. The anode contains copper that is not purified. The cathode is the metal that will become purified when the anode loses weight and the anode cu atom turns into an ion and goes towards the cathode. Basically the OP is asking why is there a decrease in mass. Hope that clarifies the OP's question.

Originally Posted by Neverfly

Can you be specific about what it is that's giving you trouble?

What causes the copper atom to turn into an ion and why does this only happen at the anode?

zed 963 has explained what I meant

The Factors that Affect the Mass of Copper :: Papers
Let's try this one... It's not set up well but the information seems to be precise.
I don't want to try to explain what I think I know and what I think you're asking- so bear with me in posting links.

Originally Posted by Neverfly

The Factors that Affect the Mass of Copper :: Papers
Let's try this one... It's not set up well but the information seems to be precise.
I don't want to try to explain what I think I know and what I think you're asking- so bear with me in posting links.

I'm asking why does the cu atom at the anode become an ion?