The Downs cell is used to prepare:

The Downs cell is an electrolytic cell used for the industrial production of metallic sodium. In this process, molten sodium chloride (NaCl) is electrolyzed to produce sodium metal at the cathode and chlorine gas at the anode. The reaction occurs at high temperatures (around 600°C) where NaCl is in molten form:

2 NaCl (l) → 2 Na (l) + Cl₂ (g)

Sodium metal produced in the Downs cell is collected carefully because it reacts vigorously with water and moisture in the air. Chlorine gas, evolved at the anode, is also collected separately for industrial use.

Other options are not produced in the Downs cell: sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate are formed by different chemical processes, while sodium hydroxide is obtained by the electrolysis of brine, not molten NaCl.

The Downs cell is important in inorganic chemistry and industrial chemistry, as it allows the safe and large-scale production of sodium metal. It demonstrates the principles of electrolysis, ionic movement, and high-temperature reactions.

In summary, the Downs cell is used to prepare sodium metal from molten NaCl, illustrating a key industrial electrochemical process in inorganic chemistry.