Question

Explain the following:

During the electrolysis of an aqueous solution of NaCI, hydrogen ion is reduced at the cathode and not the sodium ion though both Na⁺ and H⁺ ions are present in the solution.

Answer 1

The concentration of H⁺ is significantly higher than that of Na⁺ and the H⁺ ion is much lower in the electrochemical series. Na⁺ and H⁺ ions are both present in the solution, but H⁺ ions receive electrons and are released as hydrogen gas instead of sodium metal.