Question

For electroplating a spoon, it is placed in the voltameter at
A. The position of anode
B. The position of cathode
C. Exactly in the middle of anode and the cathode
D. Anywhere in the electrolyte

Answer 1

Hint: Electroplating is an electrochemical process of plating a metal onto another by hydrolysis for the prevention of corrosion of metal. Generally in this process, dissolved metal cations are reduced to develop a thin coherent metal coating on the electrode.

Complete Step by Step Answer:
In the word ‘electroplating’ the prefix, ‘electro’ refers to electric current, and the suffix ‘plating’ refers to an act of outer covering with a thin layer of metal.

Electroplating is a process in which an electrode is positioned to coat an object in a layer of metal. The cathode and anode are placed in a voltameter and exposed to a continuous electrical charge. As a result, negatively charged anions move to the anode and positively charged cations move to the cathode, coating the desired part in even metal coating.

This process takes low-cost substrate material and covers the substrate in a thin layer of metal such as copper and nickel. The purpose behind the electroplating process is to avoid the corrosion of metals and for decoration.

The object on which the electroplating process takes place is made at the negative terminal or in the cathode and the metal that is going to be plated as a thin layer on the object is made at the positive terminal or anode. An oxidation process occurs at the anode and makes its metal ions dissolve in the electrolyte. Finally, these dissolved metal ions are going to be deposited on the cathode.
Therefore for electroplating a spoon is placed in the voltameter at the position of the cathode.
Thus, option (B) is correct.

Note: Electroplating process is used extremely and has various applications. For example, making ornaments by coating costlier gold and silver on low-cost metals, preventing the spoiling of more reactive metals by coating less reactive metals, avoiding corrosion, improving the surface quality of objects in industry, etc.