Question

Alkali metals are prepared by electrolysis of their fused chlorides. If true enter 1,if false enter 0

Answer 1

Hint: Alkali metals are highly electropositive in nature. They readily emit an electron from their last shell to form a positive charged ion. Electrolysis is a method by which alkali metals can be prepared.

Complete step by step answer:
Alkali metals are strongly reduced in nature; therefore, they cannot be extracted by reducing their oxides. And due to their strong electropositive alkali metals can not be replaced by any other elements from its salt. Due to this reason Alkali metals are prepared by electrolysis of their fused chlorides.
But for electrolysis aqueous solution of their salt can not be taken, due to their electropositive nature, hydrogen ions get reduced faster and produce hydrogen gas.
For example, for the electrolysis of NaCl, sodium is formed in cathode by reduction, and chlorine gas is formed in the anode. The reactions are,
At cathode: \[N{a^ + }\, + {e^ - } \to \,Na(s)\]
At anode : \[2C{l^ - } \to \,C{l_2}(g)\, + 2{e^ - }\]
Total reaction Is \[2N{a^ + }\, + \,\,2C{l^ - } \to \,C{l_2}(g)\, + 2Na(s)\].
So, the given statement is true.

The correct answer is 1.

Note:
Sometimes, it can be predicted whether an atom will form a cation or anion based on its position on the periodic table. Alkali metals and alkaline earth metals always form cations. However, halogens always form anions. Most other non-metals typically form anions (e.g. oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur), while most metals form cations (e.g. iron, gold, mercury).