The Electrochemical Series

Question 1

What is the electrochemical series?

Answer 1

The electrochemical series is a list of standard electrode potentials for different electrochemical half-cells

Question 2

What does a more negative electrode potential mean?

Answer 2

The right hand substances are more easily oxidised. The left hand substances are more stable.

Question 3

What does a more positive electrode potential mean?

Answer 3

The left hand substances are more easily reduced. The right hand substances are more stable.

Question 4

What can you use standard electrode potential values to calculate?

Answer 4

The standard cell potential when two half-cells are joined together.

Question 5

How do you calculate standard cell potential?

Answer 5

You work out which half-reaction is going in the oxidation direction and which half-reaction is going in the reduction direction. Substitute the E values into this formula:

Ecell = Ereduced - Eoxidised

Question 6

Give two important conventions when drawing electrochemical cells

Answer 6

1. The half-cell with the more negative potential goes on the left
2. The oxidised forms go in the centre of the cell diagram

Question 7

For any feasible reaction Ecellwill be what?

Answer 7

Positive