Which statement about electrolytic cells is true?

Which statement about electrolytic cells is true?

• A. They Convert Electrical Energy Into Chemical Energy
• B. They Operate Spontaneously
• C. They Require No External Power
• D. They Produce Energy

Answer: (A)

Electrolytic cells are driven by an external power source to force a redox reaction that would not occur on its own. The electrical energy supplied by the power source is converted into chemical energy stored in the products, as electrons are pushed into or drawn out of species at the electrodes to cause reduction and oxidation despite the reaction’s non-spontaneity. This is different from a galvanic (voltaic) cell, which generates electrical energy from a spontaneous chemical reaction. In an electrolytic cell, the reaction has a positive ΔG and cannot proceed without input energy, so it does not produce energy by itself. It also requires external power to proceed, and, as a result, the system consumes electrical energy rather than releasing it. An example is electroplating or the electrolysis of water, where electrical energy is used to drive chemical changes.

Electrolytic cells are driven by an external power source to force a redox reaction that would not occur on its own. The electrical energy supplied by the power source is converted into chemical energy stored in the products, as electrons are pushed into or drawn out of species at the electrodes to cause reduction and oxidation despite the reaction’s non-spontaneity.

This is different from a galvanic (voltaic) cell, which generates electrical energy from a spontaneous chemical reaction. In an electrolytic cell, the reaction has a positive ΔG and cannot proceed without input energy, so it does not produce energy by itself. It also requires external power to proceed, and, as a result, the system consumes electrical energy rather than releasing it. An example is electroplating or the electrolysis of water, where electrical energy is used to drive chemical changes.