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Electrolysis of Lead Bromide.
Lead
bromide must be heated until it is molten
before it will conduct electricity.
Electrolysis separates the
molten ionic compound into its
elements.
The reactions at each electrode are called half
equations.
The half equations are written so that
the same number of electrons
occur in each equation.
Pb2+ + 2e- 
Pb (lead
metal at the (-)cathode).
2Br- -
2e-
Br2
(bromine gas at the (+)anode).
Lead
ions gain
electrons (reduction) to form
lead atoms.
Bromide ions lose
electrons (oxidation) to form
bromine atoms.
The bromine atoms combine to form molecules of
bromine gas.
The overall reaction is
PbBr2(l)
Pb(s)
+ Br2(g)
See some other examples of electrolysis.
Headings Electrolysis
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