Target Exam

CUET

Subject

Chemistry

Chapter

Inorganic: General Principles and Processes of Isolation of Elements

Question:

Electrical disintegration of Bredig's Arc method involves:

Options:

Fermentation

Condensation

Evapouration

Filtration

Correct Answer:

Condensation

Explanation:

The correct answer is option 2. Condensation.

The Bredig's Arc method, also known as the electrical disintegration method, is a technique used to prepare colloidal solutions, particularly of metals such as gold, silver, and platinum. Here's a detailed explanation of how the process works:

The method involves using a high-voltage electric arc to vaporize metal into tiny particles, which then disperse in a liquid (usually water) to form a colloidal solution. This method is particularly useful for producing colloidal solutions of metals, which are difficult to prepare by other means due to their high melting points and chemical inertness.

Steps Involved:

Setup: Two metal electrodes made of the metal that is to be dispersed are immersed in water. The electrodes are connected to a high-voltage power source, creating an electric arc between them.

Electric Arc Formation: When the power is turned on, a high-voltage arc is generated between the electrode. The intense heat produced by the arc (several thousand degrees Celsius) causes the metal at the tips of the electrodes to vaporize. This creates a cloud of metal vapor in the surrounding water.

Vaporization: The high temperature of the arc causes the metal atoms to leave the electrode surface and form a vapor. This metal vapor is rapidly cooled by the surrounding water, preventing the metal atoms from re-solidifying into larger particles

Condensation:

As the vaporized metal cools in the water, it condenses into extremely fine particles. These fine particles are small enough to remain suspended in the water, forming a stable colloidal solution. This is the key step where condensatin occurs, leading to the formation of colloidal-sized particles.

Formation of Colloidal Solution: The metal particles remain suspended in the water as a colloid, giving the solution its characteristic appearance (often a clear or slightly colored liquid). The size of the colloidal particles is typically in the range of 1 to 1000 nanometers, which is small enough to prevent them from settling under gravity but large enough to scatter light (Tyndall effect).

Important Considerations:

Stabilization: Sometimes, stabilizing agents (like gelatin or starch) are added to the colloidal solution to prevent the particles from aggregating and settling out.

Purity of Water: The water used in this method is usually deionized and free from any impurities that could interfere with the formation of the colloidal particles.

Applications: The colloidal solutions produced by the Bredig's Arc method are used in various fields, including medicine (for therapeutic agents like colloidal gold), photography, and catalysis. Colloidal gold, for example, has been used historically for medicinal purposes and is still researched for its potential applications in nanotechnology and drug delivery systems.

Summary: The Bredig's Arc method is an effective technique for producing colloidal solutions of metals. The key process involved is condensation, where the vaporized metal atoms cool down and form tiny particles that remain suspended in the liquid, resulting in a colloidal solution.

Thus, the correct answer to the question regarding the process involved in the Bredig's Arc method is condensation.