electrolysis of aqueous and molten sodium chloride Information about the products formed by the electrolysis of sodium chloride, both molten and aqueous, is available in text books and on the Internet. Compare this information with the results from your first hand investigation. Electrolysis of molten sodium chloride The only ions present are sodium and chloride ions.  Work out which electrode these ions will move towards when molten and predict what will happen to them. Will they gain or lose electrons? What will they form when this occurs? Electrolysis of an aqueous sodium chloride solution When a solution is placed in an electrolytic cell, a number of reactions is possible. A sodium chloride solution contains sodium ions, chloride ions and also water, so there is more than one possible reaction at each electrode. Remember that the higher the reduction potential, the more easily the substance is reduced (and thus the greater its oxidising power). The reduction potential of water is higher than the reduction potential of the ions of active metals, so water is often reduced rather than the active metal. Use this information to determine the products of this electrolysis and write suitable equations for the reactions. distinguish between  the three electrolysis methods used to extract sodium hydroxide: mercury process diaphragm process membrane process by describing each process and analysing the technical and environmental difficulties involved in each process Mercury Cell A thin layer of mercury, flowing across steel, is the cathode. Sodium from the brine forms an amalgam with