Chemical Effects of Electric Current

British chemist William Nicholson demonstrated that when the electrodes are submerged in water and a current is passed through the water, oxygen and hydrogen bubbles are released. He observed that the electrode attached to the negative terminal produced hydrogen bubbles, whereas the electrode connected to the positive terminal produced oxygen bubbles.

Electric current is the phenomenon of charge moving between any two points. Moreover, an electric current produces magnetic fields, electrochemical processes, and various chemical effects. Chemical effects of electric current are defined as chemical reactions in solutions carried on by the conduction of electric current.

When an electric current is passed through a solution of a metal salt, such as a solution of copper sulfate, copper metal deposits at the negative electrode since the metal is positively charged. This is a great example of a chemical reaction. As a result, this method makes it simple to extract metal from its salt.

Mostly observed chemical effects of electric current are:

1. Formation of bubbles of gas on the Electrodes,
2. Deposition of metal on Electrodes
3. Change in color of Solutions

Chemical reactions occur when an electric current flows through a conducting material. This chemical action of electric current is termed the Chemical Effect of Electric Current. For example, Hydrogen and oxygen separate from water when an electrical current is applied to it. Over the negative pole, hydrogen is deposited, and over the positive pole, oxygen is. Bubbles are evidence of hydrogen and oxygen deposition at various poles. Some liquids are good conductors and some are poor conductors of electricity. But, most of the liquids that conduct electricity are the solutions of acids, bases, and salts. Let’s understand the concepts of the Chemical Effects of Electric Current in this article!