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Electrochemistry

Question
CBSEENCH12006083

Electrolysis of molten NaCl gives sodium at cathode while aqueous NaCl gives H2 gas at cathode.

 

Solution

Molten NaCl dissociates to give Na+ and Cl-, Na+ then move towards cathode, picks up one electron and gets reduced to form Na.

Na+ +e- ---> Na

In aqueous NaCl, as  EH+H20 >ENa+Na0 , it is the hydrogen gas which liberates at cathode. 

2H+ +2e- H2