Magnesium, the element, is produced commercially by electrolysis from a molten salt (the 'electrolyte') using a cell similar to the one shown here. (b) Chlorine gas is evolved as voltage is applied in the cell. Knowing this, identify the electrolyte.

Video transcript

Hello everyone today. We have the following problem. Consider the following diagram which shows the electrolysis electrolysis of a modern salt, a molten salt. The electrolyte as voltage is applied in the cell, zinc is produced and chlorine gas is evolved based on this, determine the identity of the electrolyte. So first you want to make note of the products that we have in this question, we have our zinc as a liquid and we have our chlorine gas. And so this zinc liquid is going to form From our zinc two plus and it's chlorine gas is going to form from our chlorine minus. And so if you want to set this equation up, we can say that our zinc two plus liquid plus two quarrel and ions going to form this zinc chloride here. And so this electrolyte is actually going to be this zinc chloride here. And with that we've answered the question. I hope this helped. And until next time.