Question

What electrolyte is used to electroplate silver into a spoon?
(A) pure water
(B) silver nitrate
(C) copper sulfate
(D) acidified water

Answer 1

The process of causing a chemical reaction by passing an electric current through a substance or mixture of substances mostly in liquid form is known as the electrolysis process. This process occurred in the electrolytic cell and the substance being electrolyzed in the cell is an electrolyte, which contains positive and negative ions that can conduct electricity. This electrolysis process is used in the production of metal and non-metals.

Complete step by step solution:
In the electrolysis process, there are two kinds of electrolytes used, one is a compound solution that produces ions when dissolved in water, such as inorganic acid, base, or salt, and another kind is molten salt.
An important industrial application of electrolysis is in the electroplating of silver, gold, chromium, and nickel. The process of producing a very thin coating of these metals on the surface of another metal is known as the electroplating process.
In the process of electroplating of silver, the object to be plated (a spoon) is made from the cathode of an electrolytic cell, and a silver bar used as an anode. An electrolyte used in the process must be containing $A{{g}^{+}}$ ions, for example, silver nitrate. So, when DC is passed through the cell, $A{{g}^{+}}$ions from the electrolyte to the negative cathode (spoon), where electrons are neutralized and stick to the spoon as the silver.
Hence, $AgN{{O}_{3}}$ silver nitrate is used as an electrolyte to electroplate silver into a spoon.

The correct option is B.

Note: The electrolyte containing silver ions preferred for the electroplating silver into the spoon. So copper sulfate was not suitable for this process. Sometimes silver ions silver cyanide is also not preferred, due to cyanide ions capable of forming a complex ion with silver ion. Then limits the supply of free $A{{g}^{+}}$ions in the solution.