Che 323 Problem Set 6: Electrochemistry March 12, 2014 Engr. May V. Tampus Concepts
Che 323 Problem Set 6: Electrochemistry March 12, 2014 Engr. May V. Tampus Concepts
Che 323 Problem Set 6: Electrochemistry March 12, 2014 Engr. May V. Tampus Concepts
Tampus
CONCEPTS:
1. What is the difference between a galvanic cell and an electrolytic cell?
2. Sketch a typical galvanic cell. Show direction of electron flow, the direction of ion migration through the porous disk, and identify the cathode and anode. Indicate in
which electrode oxidation and reduction occur. Will there be migration of ions in the absence of the porous disk? Next, sketch a galvanic cell with a salt bridge
showing the required features as in a typical galvanic cell. Is there a change in the direction of ion migration when a salt bridge is present? Explain.
3. Discuss the relationship between ionic mobility, molar conductivity, and transport number to ionic conduction. Does electronic conduction also involve the
measurement of these quantities? Explain.
4. You want to “plate out” nickel metal from a nickel nitrate solution onto a piece of metal inserted into the solution. Should you use copper or zinc or can you use
either)? Explain.
5. Explain the following relationships: ΔG and W, cell potential and W, cell potential and ΔG, cell potential and Q (reaction quotient). Using these relationships, explain
how you could make a cell in which both electrodes are the same metal and both solutions contain the same compound, but at different concentrations. How could
this cell run spontaneously?
6. What is the difference between ξ and ξo? When is ξ equal to zero? When is ξo equal to zero? (Consider “regular” galvanic cells as well as concentration cells.)
7. Why is the use of a salt bridge or porous disk in a galvanic cell necessary?
8. In making a specific galvanic cell, explain how one determines which electrodes and solutions to use in the cell.
9. Explain why cell potentials are not multiplied by the coefficients in the balanced equation.
10. You are told that metal A is a better reducing agent than metal B. What, if anything, can be said about A + compared with B+? Explain.
PROBLEMS:
1. The standard Gibbs energy for the hydrolysis of ATP in the reaction ATP (aq) ADP(aq) + Pi(aq), where Pi is inorganic phosphate, is -31 kJ.mol-1 at 37oC. In a typical
bacterial cell the concentrations of ATP, ADP, and P i are 8, 1, and 8 mmol.L-1, respectively. What is the Gibbs energy under these conditions? [ANSWER:-48.80 kJ.mol-
1
]
2. A fuel cell designed to react grain alcohol with oxygen has the following net reaction:
The maximum work one mole of alcohol can yield by this process is 1320 kJ. What is the theoretical maximum voltage this cell can achieve? [ANSWER:1.14 V]
3. In a common car battery, six identical cells each carry out the reaction:
Pb + PbO2 + 2HSO4- + 2H+ 2PbSO4 + 2H2O
11. A hydrogen electrode can, in principle, be used to monitor changes in the molar concentration of weak acids in biologically active solutions. Consider a hydrogen
electrode in a solution of lactic acid (CH3CHOCOOH) as part of an overall galvanic cell at 25 oC and 1 bar. Estimate the change in the electrode potential when the
solution is charged from 5.0 mmol/L to 25.0 mmol/L. [ANSWER:64.2 mV]