Industrially, sodium metal is obtained by electrolyzing molten sodium chloride.
ID: 618667 • Letter: I
Question
Industrially, sodium metal is obtained by electrolyzing molten sodium chloride. The reaction at the cathode is Na+ + e- --> Na. We might expect that potassium metal could also be prepared by electrolyzing molten potassium chloride. Potassium metal is soluble in molten potassium chloride, however, and is therefore hard to recover. Furthermore, potassium vaporizes readily at the operating temperature, creating hazardous conditions. Instead, potassium is prepared by the distillation of molten potassium chloride in the presence of sodium vapor at 892 C. Na(g) + KCl(l) <--> NaCl(l) + K(g). Considering that potassium is a stronger reducing agent than sodium, explain why this approach works. (The boiling points of sodium and potassium are 892 C and 770 C respectively.)Explanation / Answer
the whole approach based on electrode potential reduction occurs at cathode while oxidation occurs at anode and the element which has higher potential will go reduction..