To determine what gets reduced in an electrolytic cell made with nickel and copper electrodes, we need to understand the basic principles of electrolytic cells and the reduction process. In an electrolytic cell, reduction takes place at the cathode, which is the electrode where electrons are gained by the ions. The cathode typically attracts cations (positively charged ions).
The options given are:
A. [tex]\( Cr^{2+} \)[/tex]
B. [tex]\( \operatorname{Cu}(0) \)[/tex]
C. NP?
D. MY (O)
To identify which substance gets reduced, we look at the reduction potentials of the possible ions and where the electron gain occurs. In an electrolytic cell:
1. Copper (Cu) when acts as the cathode, tends to gain electrons and undergo reduction.
2. Nickel (Ni), if present as an electrode, typically doesn't involve direct ion reduction since it's often used for different processes in electrolytic setups, depending on the specific reactions.
Given the choice of substances provided, we focus on known chemical species and their typical ionic behaviors:
- [tex]\( Cr^{2+} \)[/tex] because it is a cation that could potentially gain electrons.
- [tex]\( \operatorname{Cu}(0) \)[/tex] refers to copper in its elemental form.
In our standard context of electrolysis involving nickel and copper electrodes, [tex]\( \operatorname{Cu}(0) \)[/tex] is a plausible candidate for reduction because copper is commonly reduced in electrochemical reactions.
Thus, in an electrolytic cell made with nickel and copper electrodes, the correct option for what gets reduced is:
B. [tex]\( \operatorname{Cu}(0) \)[/tex]
