letter 29031

Electrolysis in industry  

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Hi!

I'm doing a chemistry assignment but am very confused on the topic. My question: what are the methods utilised for copper and what is the importance of high percentage purity to the metal properties?

Thank you so much.

Sarah T.
student - Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Hi, Sarah. One reason copper needs to be pure is that copper wire will conduct electricity very poorly unless the copper is quite pure. Think of how electricity is conducted in a metal, with electrons progressively jumping from one copper atom to the next, and how inconvenient it is for them if the next atom they encounter is something other than copper.

Attention students! Please try to put your questions in context. For example, are you in 3rd grade or in college? If you are in 3rd grade and we talk at college level, it is all a waste; if you are in college and we talk baby talk, it does you no good either. And by 'chemistry assignment' do you mean your semester project or tonight's homework question?  :-)

Ted Mooney, P.E.  finishing.com Brick, New Jersey