chem hw help pls
In 1807 the English chemist Humphrey Davy passed an electric current through molten potassium hydroxide and isolated a bright shiny reactive substance. He claims the discovery of a new element, which he names potassium. In those days, before the advent of modern instruments, what was the basis on which one could claim that a substance is an element.
so idk if my answer is correct bc i googled it an i got diff answers but i think its cuz the electricity created a non spontaneous reaction which broke it down as much as possible, therefore a element not a substance bc an element is the purest form. but idk i think im wrong
August 23, 2014
7 Comments • Newest first
@iTempo: nah i have 10 days
summer homework tho
thanks guys
I'm not quite sure, but the answer is most probably electrolysis.
Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) is a strong base, which means it's an electrolyte and comes apart in solution.
What I don't get it how zapping it with electricity breaks it apart into potassium and hydroxide. Unless you think of it as:
Energy + KOH -> K+ and OH-
Either way, you can tell it's an element because it cannot be broken down further.
EDIT: @below Crap, forgot about electrolysis. The process of running the electric current through it would break it down, yes.
I guess he let it cool and took comparative measurements
I am confused. Maybe look at trends and match it with groups on the periodic table
Eh, who got no idea? dis guy.