Ch 18 - Electrochemistry Flashcards
the most common type of fuel cell is the
hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell
fuel cells are based on
oxidation-reduction reactions
being reduced means
you gain more electrons or become more negative
oxidation is the
loss of electrons
reduction is the
gain of electrons
oxidation corresponds to an increased
oxidation state
reduction corresponds to a decrease in
oxidation state
both the ______ and ______ must be balanced in an ox-redox reaction
mass and the charge
half-reaction method of balancing
- break down the overall equation into two half reactions(oxidation and reduction)
- balance the two equations individually and then add them together
- slightly different for acids in basic solution
electrical current
the flow of electric charge
electrochemical cell
the generation of electricity though a redox reaction is carried out in this device
voltaic(galvanic) cell
an electrochemical cell that produces electrical current from spontaneous chemical reactions
electrolytic cell
consumes electrical current to drive a nonspontaneous chemical reaction
half-cell
splitting a voltaic cell into two parts connected by a wire to control the flow of electricity
electrodes
conductive surfaces though which electrons can enter or leave the half cells
- each metal strip reaches equilibrium with its ions in solution - Zn(s) Zn^2+(aq) + 2e^- - Cu(s) Cu^2+(aq) + 2e^-
the two metal electrodes come to equilibrium at different points which it what drives
the electrons in one direction creating electricity
electrical current is measured in
amperes(A)
one ampere represents the flow of one coulomb(a measure of electrical charge) per second
1A = 1C/s
electron current is driven by the difference is potential energy caused by an electric field resulting from
the charge difference of two electrodes
potential difference
a measure of the difference in potential energy(usually joules) per unit of a charge(coulombs)
- SI unit of potential difference is the volt(V)
volt(V)
one joule per coulomb
- the SI unit of potential difference - 1V = 1J/C
the potential difference of one volt indicates
that a charge of one coulomb experiences an energy difference of one joule between the two electrodes
a large potential difference =
large difference in charges of electrodes = strong tendency for electron flow
electromotive force(emf)
another name for potential difference since it results in a force for the motion of electrons
in a voltaic cell the potential difference between the two electrodes is
the cell potential(Ecell) or cell emf
cell potential depends on
the relative tendencies of the reactants to undergo oxidation and reduction
- stronger the tendencies the larger the difference and therefore a higher potential
cell potential also depends on
the concentrations of the reactants and products and temperature
standard cell potential(Edegree symbol cell) or standard emf
the cell potential at standard conditions(1 atm for gaseous reactants and 1M for solutions)
cell potential is a measure of
the overall tendency of the redox reaction to occur spontaneously
a negative cell potential indicates
that the forward reaction is not spontaneous
anode
in all electrochemical cells the electrode where oxidation occurs
cathode
in all electrochemical cells the electrode where reduction occurs