Electrolytic Processes: A Practical Design Investigation for Stage 2 Chemistry

Purpose

Electrolytic cells are used industrially to produce a variety of chemicals.

This assessment provides you with the opportunity to investigate concepts relating to electrolysis, and to demonstrate your ability to deconstruct a problem in order to design and conduct an investigation

• collect, record and display data
• analyse and interpret data to form a justified conclusion
• evaluate procedures and their effect on the data
• communicate your understanding of concepts relating to electrochemistry

Description of the problem

What factors could affect the time required to produce a specific amount of a particular chemical that is made in an electrolytic cell?

Part A: Deconstruct the problem and design an investigation procedure

You will need to provide evidence, on a summary sheet, of your thinking about the problem, your choice of question and reasons why you are selecting the various parts of your procedure.

Work with a partner to:

• investigate a chemical that is produced by electrolysis that is suitable for you to produce in the laboratory
• brainstorm possible factors that could affect the time taken to produce a specific amount of this chemical
• select one factor to investigate. Provide reasons for your choice of independent variable.
• determine what amount of chemical is reasonable to produce in your investigation. You may carry out a preliminary test in the laboratory to help make this decision. Note your reasoning on your summary sheet.

Individually:

• write an investigable question that asks what quantity/measure of this factor is required to produce this amount of your chemical in set amount of time.
• identify factors that can be controlled and those that cannot be controlled, why they have selected the independent variable
• design and write a procedure to test your question. Include a list materials required and a detailed list of steps in dot points. Justify your choice of equipment and the various steps in the procedure.

Your individual summary sheet, including your list of requirements, must be completed and handed in for assessment three days before the practical investigation.

Part B Practical investigation

Carry out your approved investigation with your partner.

Part C Investigation Report

Individually write a practical report that includes:

• introduction with relevant chemistry concepts, and either a hypothesis and variables, or an investigable question
• materials/apparatus
• method/procedure that outlines the trials and steps to be taken
• identification and management of safety and/or ethical risks
• results
• analysis of results, identifying trends, and linking results to concepts
• evaluation of procedures and data, and identifying sources of uncertainty
• conclusion, with justification.

The report should be a maximum of 1500 words if written, or a maximum of 10 minutes for an oral presentation, or the equivalent in multimodal form.

A summary sheet outlining the deconstruction process (where applicable) should be attached to the report. Suggested formats for the summary sheet include flow charts, concept maps, tables, or notes.

The five asterisked sections of materials/apparatus, method/procedures, risks, results, and deconstruction are excluded from the word count.

Assessment conditions

Part A

Plan the investigation in the laboratory under teacher supervision.

Part B

The practical is completed in the laboratory during a ninety minute lesson.

Part C

An individual practical report is completed and submitted for assessment no later than seven days after completion of Part B.

In the report the specific features IAE1, IAE2, IAE3, IAE4 and KA4 are assessed:

Brief summary of assessment requirements

• Purpose: Investigate factors that affect the time required to produce a set amount of a chemical by electrolysis; demonstrate investigation design, data collection, analysis, evaluation and communication.

• Parts:

  • Part A (Design / Deconstruction): Work with a partner to select a producible electrolysis product, brainstorm influencing factors, choose one independent variable, decide a reasonable production amount (pilot test optional) and submit an individual summary sheet with procedure rationale three days before the practical.

  • Part B (Practical): Conduct the approved investigation in a 90-minute lab session with partner.

  • Part C (Report): Individually submit a practical report (max 1500 words) covering introduction/concepts or hypothesis, materials, method, safety/ethical risks, results, analysis/trends, evaluation and justified conclusion. Attach the Part A summary sheet. Materials/methods/risks/results and deconstruction are excluded from the word count.

• Assessment conditions & timing: Plan under teacher supervision (Part A), perform practical in allotted lab time (Part B), submit report within seven days (Part C). IAE1–IAE4 and KA4 are assessed (practical investigation and key knowledge/application outcomes).

• Key skills to show: experimental design, control of variables, data collection/representation, uncertainty estimation, critical evaluation, application of electrochemistry concepts, clear scientific communication.

How the Academic Mentor guided the student

1. Clarify the brief & success criteria

   • Reviewed assessment rubric, word limits, submission deadlines and IAE/KA assessment foci; set milestones for Parts A–C.

2. Select a suitable electrolysis product

   • Suggested safe, lab-feasible targets (e.g., hydrogen from acidified water, copper deposition from CuSO₄) and discussed practicality, safety and measurable yield. Student selected the option best matched to available equipment.

3. Deconstruct the problem & brainstorm variables

   • Facilitated a structured brainstorm (current, electrode area, electrolyte concentration, temperature, distance between electrodes). Prioritised variables by feasibility and expected effect size.

4. Choose independent variable & pilot reasoning

   • Advised on choosing one variable (e.g., current density) with clear measurable units; designed brief pilot test to estimate realistic yield and timing for the main experiment.

5. Design procedure and materials list

   • Co-wrote stepwise protocol with safety measures, control variables, number of trials, and data recording templates. Justified equipment choices and measurement methods.

6. Risk assessment & ethical considerations

   • Identified chemical, electrical and waste disposal hazards; planned PPE, emergency steps and appropriate disposal; included mitigation strategies in the summary sheet.

7. Run practical & collect data

   • Supervised trial runs, advised on consistent timing, measurement technique, and data logging (tables and planned graphs).

8. Analyse results & evaluate methods

   • Guided plotting of results, trend identification, uncertainty estimation, and linking observations to electrochemical theory (Faraday’s laws, kinetics, resistance). Identified limitations and proposed procedural improvements.

9. Write and finalize report

   • Helped structure the 1500-word report, refine the conclusion with justification, edit for clarity, and ensure required attachments (summary sheet, raw data) were included before submission.

Outcome achieved & learning objectives covered

• Outcome: Student produced a complete submission: approved Part A summary, a successful Part B practical with repeat trials and clean data, and an evidence-based Part C report meeting format and word-limit requirements.

• Learning objectives demonstrated:

  • Collect, record and display data (accurate tables and graphs).

  • Analyse and interpret data to form a justified conclusion linked to electrochemistry (Faraday’s law, current effects).

  • Evaluate procedures and uncertainties, proposing realistic improvements.

  • Communicate understanding of electrolysis concepts clearly in written scientific format.

• Assessment mapping: Activities addressed IAE1–IAE4 and KA4 through investigation planning, practical execution, data analysis, and knowledge application.

Get High-Quality Academic Guidance with Safe, Reliable Support

Looking for clarity on how to structure your assignment? You can download the sample solution provided on this page to understand the correct format, writing style, and expected academic depth. However, this sample is strictly for reference. Submitting it as your own work can lead to plagiarism issues and academic penalties, so always use it only as a learning aid.

If you need a fully original, plagiarism-free assignment written according to your exact guidelines, our team of qualified academic writers is ready to help. We deliver fresh, customised solutions tailored to your subject, university requirements, and deadline. Every order is checked through strict quality and originality measures to ensure it meets the highest academic standards.

Why Order a Fresh Solution?

• 100 percent original and customised content

• Written by experienced subject specialists

• Proper structure, formatting and academic referencing

• On-time delivery for urgent deadlines

• Confidential and secure service

• Helps you understand concepts with clarity through well-explained solutions

Plagiarism Disclaimer:
The downloadable sample is for study and reference only. It must not be submitted as original work under any circumstances.

Call to Action:
Download Sample Solution             Order Fresh Assignment