Arun wants to electroplate an iron object with a layer of nickel. Which of these is correct for the required set-up?

Options

A. An iron nail should be placed at the anode.
B. A nickel strip should be placed at the cathode.
C. Iron sulphate should be used as the electrolyte.
D. Nickel sulphate should be used as the electrolyte.

Answer

To electroplate an iron object with a layer of nickel, follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Prepare the Electrolyte Solution**:
- You need to prepare a nickel sulfate solution. This solution will provide the nickel ions necessary for the electroplating process.

2. **Set Up the Electroplating Apparatus**:
- Take two electrodes: an anode and a cathode. The anode will be made of nickel, while the cathode will be the iron object you want to electroplate.

3. **Connect the Electrodes**:
- Connect the anode (nickel electrode) to the positive terminal of the battery.
- Connect the cathode (iron object) to the negative terminal of the battery.

4. **Submerge the Electrodes**:
- Place both the anode and cathode into the nickel sulfate solution. Ensure that they do not touch each other.

5. **Turn On the Power Supply**:
- Switch on the battery. This will start the electroplating process.

6. **Electroplating Process**:
- Nickel ions from the solution will migrate towards the cathode (iron object) and deposit onto its surface, forming a layer of nickel.

7. **Monitor the Process**:
- Keep an eye on the electroplating process. The duration will depend on how thick you want the nickel layer to be.

8. **Completion**:
- Once the desired thickness of the nickel layer is achieved, turn off the power supply and remove the iron object from the solution.