Timeline for Do electrons really hang around the electrode while ions go take a swim?
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
11 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Mar 21 at 17:14 | comment | added | Maurice | Yes, Doktor J. What you say is exactly what I have tried to explain my self. without too much success, alas. Thank you. | |
| Mar 20 at 19:58 | comment | added | Doktor J | Outsider trying to understand: is the gist that, as more zinc atom(s) ionize, the consequent increasing charge on the electrode makes it more difficult for subsequent zinc atoms to ionize and dissolve (where an equilibrium is reached with very few atoms having ionized, relative to the quantity of Zinc and pure water)? | |
| Mar 20 at 15:38 | comment | added | R.M. | @Maurice The intent might have been to be vague, but "the second zinc atom" bespeaks a certain accuracy. I've taken the liberty of making edits to generalize and "unspecify" your answer. Hopefully the edits align with your intent. | |
| Mar 20 at 15:38 | history | edited | R.M. | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
From comments, the intent is "unspecified but small number" -- remove indications of false precision.
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| Mar 19 at 17:58 | comment | added | Poutnik | But it is severely misleading, and without much justification. "Many" is enough. | |
| Mar 19 at 16:44 | comment | added | Maurice | @Poutnik. I expected your answer. I perfectly know that one and only one atom cannot be ionized and dissolved. But it was an image. I think instead of one, I should have said "the first millions". But this amount is not known with accuracy. And it would start a long series of remarks about its real values, which is not important for the present problem. It is better to choose a simple number like "one", even if it is probably not one. | |
| Mar 19 at 15:40 | comment | added | Poutnik | Golden flat surface electrode reportedly exhibits capacitance $\pu{10 \mu F cm-2}$. | |
| Mar 19 at 15:17 | comment | added | Harikrishnan M | @Poutnik I guess that explains the non-reactivity of Zn towards cold/hot water and reactivity only towards steam? | |
| Mar 19 at 13:26 | comment | added | Poutnik | 2 electrons would not make so big difference. Consider the capacitance of the electrode and the equation dE = dq/C. Very roughly some 10 millions of electrons just for Delta E = 1 V for C = 1 pF. More at a much higher capacitance. Finally, potential gets so low electrons start to get hydrated and quickly reducing water or H+(aq) to hydrogen. | |
| Mar 19 at 12:51 | comment | added | Harikrishnan M | So is it about the interionic forces in water? | |
| Mar 19 at 12:47 | history | answered | Maurice | CC BY-SA 4.0 |