The element manganese is used to form many alloys, for example adding hardness to steel.

Manganese(IV) oxide is used to decolourise glass and to depolarise dry electrochemical cells.
Manganese(II) oxide is a powerful oxidising agent. One of the most useful aspects of manganese is that
it can exist in a number of oxidation states

Electrolysis is the decomposition of a compound into its elements by an electric current. It is often used
to extract metals that are high in the reactivity series. These metals cannot be extracted by heating their
ores with carbon. Electrolysis is also used to produce non-metals such as chlorine and to purify some
metals. Electrolysis is generally carried out in an electrolysis cell

In the electrolysis cell: ■■ the electrolyte is the compound that is decomposed; it is either a molten ionic
compound or a concentrated aqueous solution of ions ■■ the electrodes are rods, made from either
carbon (graphite) or metal, which conduct electricity to and from the electrolyte – the anode is the
positive electrode – the cathode is the negative electrode ■■ the power supply must be direct current.

During electrolysis, the positive ions (cations) move to the cathode. When they reach the cathode they
gain electrons from the cathode.

The negative ions (anions) move to the anode. When they reach the anode they lose electrons to the
anode.

Electrolysis is a redox reaction.

The electron loss at the anode balances the electron gain at the cathode.

The mass of a substance produced at an electrode during electrolysis is proportional to: ■■ the time
over which a constant electric current passes ■■ the strength of the electric current.

The mass of a substance produced at (or removed from) an electrode during electrolysis is proportional
to the quantity of electricity (in coulombs) which passes through the electrolyte.

The quantity of electricity is often expressed in terms of a unit called the Faraday (symbol F).

When a metal is put into a solution of its ions an electric potential (voltage) is established between the
metal and the metal ions in solution. We cannot measure this potential directly. But we can measure the
difference in potential between the metal/metal ion system and another system. We call this value the
electrode potential,
The standard hydrogen electrode is one of several types of half-cell that can be used as reference
electrodes.

It is thought that the absolute electrical potentials that we cannot measure are caused by the formation
of an electrical double layer when an element is placed in a solution of its ions.

By convention, the electrode potential refers to the reduction reaction. So the electrons appear on the
left-hand side of the half-equation.

The more positive (or less negative) the electrode potential, the easier it is to reduce the ions on the left.
So the metal on the right is relatively unreactive and is a relatively poor reducing agent.

The more negative (or less positive) the electrode potential, the more difficult it is to reduce the ions on
the left. So the metal on the right is relatively reactive and is a relatively good reducing agent.

corrodent