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JEE Advanced 2017 Paper 1 · Chemistry · Electrochemistry · hard

A 400 mL solution containing 0.0500 M CuSO4 and 0.100 M NaCl is electrolysed between inert electrodes by passing 9650 C of charge (F=96500 C mol^-1).…

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A 400 mL400\ \mathrm{mL} solution containing 0.0500 M0.0500\ \mathrm{M} CuSO4\mathrm{CuSO_4} and 0.100 M0.100\ \mathrm{M} NaCl\mathrm{NaCl} is electrolysed between inert electrodes by passing 9650 C9650\ \mathrm{C} of charge (F=96500 C mol−1F=96500\ \mathrm{C\,mol^{-1}}). Assume that chloride is oxidised in preference to water at the anode, that Cu2+\mathrm{Cu^{2+}} is reduced in preference to water at the cathode, that no gas remains dissolved, and that the volume stays 400 mL400\ \mathrm{mL}. The pH\mathrm{pH} of the final solution at 298 K298\ \mathrm{K} is ____ .
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Answer: 7

The charge passed is 9650/96500=0.1009650/96500=0.100 mol of electrons. At the cathode, 0.02000.0200 mol Cu2+\mathrm{Cu^{2+}} (from 0.400 L×0.05000.400\ \mathrm{L}\times0.0500) takes 0.04000.0400 mol of e−e^-; the remaining 0.06000.0600 mol of electrons reduce water, 2H2O+2e−→H2+2OH−2\mathrm{H_2O}+2e^-\to\mathrm{H_2}+2\mathrm{OH^-}, forming 0.06000.0600 mol OH−\mathrm{OH^-}. At the anode, 0.04000.0400 mol Cl−\mathrm{Cl^-} (from 0.400×0.1000.400\times0.100) is oxidised using 0.04000.0400 mol of electrons; once chloride is exhausted the remaining 0.06000.0600 mol of electrons oxidise water, 2H2O→O2+4H++4e−2\mathrm{H_2O}\to\mathrm{O_2}+4\mathrm{H^+}+4e^-, producing 0.06000.0600 mol H+\mathrm{H^+}. The 0.06000.0600 mol OH−\mathrm{OH^-} and 0.06000.0600 mol H+\mathrm{H^+} neutralise exactly, leaving a solution of Na2SO4\mathrm{Na_2SO_4} only. The final pH\mathrm{pH} is therefore 77.
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