Redox 2 Flashcards
What is oxidation?
Loss of electrons, increase in oxidation number
What is reduction?
Gain of electrons, decrease in oxidation number
What is oxidation number?
Shows the total number of electrons which have been removed or added to an element
What are standard conditions?
298K, 100 kPa, 1.0 moldm^-3
What is a standard hydrogen electrode?
A redox electrode which all other electrode potentials are measured relative to at 298K. It contains HCl at 1.0 moldm^-3, hydrogen gas at 100kPa and a solid platinum electrode
What is an electrochemical cell?
A device that that creates an electrical current from a reaction. Consists of 2 half cells; electrons flow from the negative one to the positive one through an external circuit
What is a cell diagram?
A shorthand way of representing an electrochemical cell. The parts of each half cell are separated by solid lines and the half cells are separated by 2 dotted lines
What is a half cell?
One half of an electrochemical cell. Either negative (oxidation takes place) or positive (reduction takes place). The two half cells are linked by a salt bridge
What is a salt bridge?
A piece of filter paper, soaked in a soluble salt (like potassium nitrate) that is used to complete the circuit in an electrochemical cell
What is standard electrode potential?
Potential of a cell acting as a cathode and the standard hydrogen electrode acting as an anode. Reduction always takes place at the cathode, and oxidation at the anode
What is cell potential?
The cell potential is the way in which we can measure how much voltage exists between the two half cells - the emf that electrons feel
What is thermodynamic feasibility?
A reaction that is thermodynamically favourable. A feasible reaction will occur spontaneously - without continuous input of energy
What is kinetic stability?
Reactants are kinetically stable if there is a high activation energy preventing them from reacting i.e. reactions can be thermodynamically feasible but not actually ever happen
What is disproportionation?
A reaction in which an element in a species is simultaneously oxidised and reduced in the same reaction
What is a fuel cell?
The energy released on reaction of a fuel with oxygen is utilised in a fuel cell to generate a voltage (e.g. a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell (2H2 + O2 -> 2H2O))