Consider the electrolysis of an aqueous solution of copper sulfate using inert platinum electrodes. Which of the following chemical transformations occurs at the cathode during this process?

💡 Solution & Explanation

During the electrolysis of aqueous copper sulfate with inert electrodes, copper ions possess a standard reduction potential higher than that of water reduction, causing them to preferentially accept electrons at the cathode and deposit as solid copper metal. Meanwhile, hydroxide ions or water molecules are oxidized at the anode to liberate oxygen gas. Plausible distractors confuse cathodic reduction with anodic oxidation processes or misinterpret standard reduction potential hierarchies. Copper refining in industrial metallurgy utilizes similar electrolytic principles.