The electrolyte used in the electrolysis of water is typically:
Sodium chloride solution
Copper sulfate solution
Sulfuric acid solution
Sodium hydroxide solution
In the electrolysis of water, an electrolyte is used to facilitate the flow of electric current and enable the decomposition of water into its constituent elements, hydrogen and oxygen.
Sodium hydroxide is commonly used as the electrolyte in the electrolysis of water. When sodium hydroxide is dissolved in water, it dissociates into sodium ions and hydroxide ions . These ions allow the flow of electric current and participate in the electrolysis process.
During electrolysis, at the cathode (negative electrode), hydrogen gas is produced, while at the anode (positive electrode), oxygen gas is produced. The overall reaction can be represented as follows:
Sodium hydroxide is chosen as the electrolyte in this process because it provides the necessary ions for the conduction of electricity, without interfering with the desired reactions at the electrodes.
Therefore, the correct electrolyte typically used in the electrolysis of water is sodium hydroxide solution.