Some Key Terms in Electrochemistry

Broad Applications: electroanalysis, sensors, energy storage and conversion devices, corrosion, electrosynthesis,
and metal electroplating.

Electrochemical Cells, Galvanic Cells, Cathode (electrode at which electrons are gained) , Anode,
(The electrode at which electrons are lost), Working Electrodes, Counter Electrodes, Reference
Electrode, half-cell reactions: Oxidation (involves loss of electrons or transfer of electrons from
species to electrode) and Reduction (gain of electrons or involves transfer of electrons from the
electrode to species) reactions; potentiometric (no current, equilibrium potential) and Voltammetric
(current measured as a function of the applied potential) methods: Electrical Double Layer;
Standard hydrogen electrode; Faraday’s Law

Nernst equation and other key equations

 The electrode potential for a reaction is derived directly from the free energy change for
that reaction ∆G = - nFE
 ∆G = - RTlnK
 The standard oxidation potential is equal in magnitude, but opposite in sign to the std.
reduction potential ∆Gcell = - nFEcell

 The standard oxidation potential is simply the negative of the standard reduction potential.
For any electrochemical cell, the potential is given by:
Eo cell = Eo reduction (cathode reaction) - Eo reduction(anode reaction)

For a feasible reaction: Ecell must be positive (so that ∆Gcell is negative)
If Eo cell> 0, we have a spontaneous process (galvanic cell)
If Eo cell< 0, we have a nonspontaneous process (electrolytic cell)

A few questions on electrochemistry

1. Write balanced net ionic equations for the following reactions. Include H and H2O wherever needed
and identify the oxidizing agent and the reducing agent on the left side of each equation
 2. Consider the following oxidation/reduction reactions

(a) Write each net process in terms of two balanced half-reactions.

(b) Express each half-reaction as a reduction.
(c) Arrange the half-reactions in (b) in order of decreasing effectiveness as electron acceptors .

3. Calculate the potential of a copper electrode immersed in

0.0380 M Cu(NO3)2. Eo= 0.337

4. Calculate the potential of a platinum electrode immersed in a solution that is

a) 0.0160 M in K2PtCl4 and 0.2450 M in KCl E0 = 0.73 V
b) 0.0650 M in Sn(SO4)2 and 3.5 x 10-3 M in SnSO4. E0 = 0.154

5. The following half-cells are on the left and coupled with the standard hydrogen electrode on the right to form
a galvanic cell. Calculate the cell potential.
(a) Cu|Cu2+ (0.0805 M) Eo =0.337

6. The solubility-product constant for Ag2SO3 is 1.5 X10-14. Calculate E for the process E0= 0.799