How To Use

Use the controls below to explore how ions move and react during electrolysis.

Steps

1. Choose between molten and aqueous electrolytes by clicking on the names at the top of the settings panel.
2. Choose your electrolyte from the drop-down menu.
3. Adjust the potential difference (this will determine which electrode is the anode and which the cathode, and will determine the overall speed of the electrolysis.
4. Click Start to begin the electrolysis (then Pause/Resume as desired).
5. Click Slow to view the process in slow motion.
6. Toggle Show labels to display labels for each component.
7. Toggle Show products to display the products at each electrode.
8. Toggle Show full equation to display the full ionic equation for the reaction.
9. Toggle Show half equations to display the half-equations at each electrode.
10. Toggle Show reactivity series to bring up a reactivity series of metals.
11. Toggle Magnifying glass to enable a magnifier that follows your cursor when hovering over the simulation.
12. When in 'Aqueous mode' toggle 'Copper sulfate mode' to simulate the electrolysis of copper sulfate using copper electrodes.
13. In 'Copper sulfate mode', toggle the 'Add impurities' button to add impurities to the copper anode which will sink to the bottom once the copper atoms around them have been oxidised.