Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
In this experiment I burn hydrogen gas produced from salt water through the phenomenon of electrolysis. It's a very dangerous experiment, don't imitate me. In the water I use in this video is dissolved as much salt as possible, so it is very conductive and can absorb all 10 amps supplied by the power supply.
In the electrolysis of salt water (a solution of sodium chloride in water), chlorine is produced at the positive pole (anode) because salt water contains sodium ions and chloride ions. When an electric current is applied, the ions are attracted to opposite electrodes: positive ions to the cathode (negative) and negative ions to the anode (positive). At the cathode, the water is reduced to form hydrogen and hydroxide ions, while at the anode, the chloride ions are oxidized to form chlorine gas. As a result, hydrogen gas is formed at the cathode and chlorine gas is formed at the anode.
Is oxygen also formed at the anode?
In an electrolysis of pure water, yes, oxygen would be formed at the anode. However, in the electrolysis of salt water, chlorine is preferentially produced. This is because the electrode potentials for chlorine formation from chloride ions and oxygen formation from water are different. Chlorine has a lower oxidation potential than oxygen, which means that it is easier to oxidize chloride ions to produce chlorine gas than it is to oxidize water to produce oxygen.
In practice, mostly chlorine is produced at the anode, while oxygen production is minimal or negligible in the presence of sodium chloride. If there were very little or no chloride ions, then yes, oxygen would be produced at the anode.
WARNING: This video is only for demonstration. I don't take any responsibility.
In this experiment I burn hydrogen gas produced from salt water through the phenomenon of electrolysis. It's a very dangerous experiment, don't imitate me. In the water I use in this video is dissolved as much salt as possible, so it is very conductive and can absorb all 10 amps supplied by the power supply.
In the electrolysis of salt water (a solution of sodium chloride in water), chlorine is produced at the positive pole (anode) because salt water contains sodium ions and chloride ions. When an electric current is applied, the ions are attracted to opposite electrodes: positive ions to the cathode (negative) and negative ions to the anode (positive). At the cathode, the water is reduced to form hydrogen and hydroxide ions, while at the anode, the chloride ions are oxidized to form chlorine gas. As a result, hydrogen gas is formed at the cathode and chlorine gas is formed at the anode.
Is oxygen also formed at the anode?
In an electrolysis of pure water, yes, oxygen would be formed at the anode. However, in the electrolysis of salt water, chlorine is preferentially produced. This is because the electrode potentials for chlorine formation from chloride ions and oxygen formation from water are different. Chlorine has a lower oxidation potential than oxygen, which means that it is easier to oxidize chloride ions to produce chlorine gas than it is to oxidize water to produce oxygen.
In practice, mostly chlorine is produced at the anode, while oxygen production is minimal or negligible in the presence of sodium chloride. If there were very little or no chloride ions, then yes, oxygen would be produced at the anode.
WARNING: This video is only for demonstration. I don't take any responsibility.
