Describe the electrolysis of water with the help of a labelled diagram.

Explanation

1. Take a plastic mug. Drill two holes at its base and fit rubber stoppers in these holes. Insert carbon electrodes in these rubber stoppers as shown in Fig.
2. Connect these electrodes to a 6 volt battery.
3. Fill the mug with water such that the electrodes are immersed. Add a few drops of dilute sulphuric acid to the water.
4. Take two test tubes filled with water and invert them over the two carbon electrodes.
5. Switch on the current and leave the apparatus undisturbed for some time.
6. We see the formation of bubbles at both the electrodes. These bubbles displace water in the test tubes.
7. In one test tube oxygen is produced and in the other test tube hydrogen is produced. Also the volume of hydrogen produced is double the volume of oxygen.