All Questions
32
questions
57
votes
4
answers
385k
views
Why is it important to use a salt bridge in a voltaic cell? Can a wire be used?
I was learning about voltaic cells and came across salt bridges. If the purpose of the salt bridge is only to move electrons from an electrolyte solution to the other, then why can I not use a wire?
...
- 799
22
votes
3
answers
2k
views
True or false: "A used AA battery contains fewer moles of electrons than a new AA battery."
I recently took a Gen. Chem. 2 exam that contained this question. I answered false, but my professor said the answer is true. My reasoning was that any electrons that leave the anode end up at the ...
- 449
15
votes
7
answers
111k
views
Which is anode and which is cathode?
A maybe (hopefully) simple question about the denotations of "anode" and "cathode". The below image is a schematic of a polymer solar cell (Source (WBM)). (The figure text is quoted as well for the ...
- 930
10
votes
3
answers
13k
views
Why is chloride oxidised instead of water in copper chloride electrolysis?
For the Electrolysis of Copper Chloride:
Cathode: $\ce{Cu^{2+} + 2e- <=> Cu}$
Anode: $\ce{2Cl <=> Cl2 + 2e- }$
I am confused about the reaction taking place at the anode. Wouldn't $\ce{...
- 231
8
votes
0
answers
392
views
What exactly is an "electron-sponge"?
What exactly an "electron-sponge" [behavior/action/property/system] nickname is, and what makes a material an "electron-sponge" (preferably, quantitatively)?
From what I found, it's typically a ...
- 38.4k
7
votes
2
answers
4k
views
What are high-energy electrons?
I read that (in cellular respiration) the transported electrons in NADH have a higher energy than those in FADH2.
I can't find a (simple or otherwise) explanation of what a "high-energy" ...
- 267
7
votes
1
answer
392
views
Prediction of ionic reduction?
Here are some standard electrode potentials:-
$$\ce{SO_4^{2-} + 4H^+ + 2e^- -> SO_2 + 2H_2O}\\E^o=0.17\mathrm{V}\\
\ce{NO_3^- + 4H^+ + 3e^- -> NO + 2H_2O}\\E^o=0.97\mathrm{V}\\
\ce{NO_3^- + ...
- 6,795
5
votes
2
answers
22k
views
Explanation for the reactions in a saltwater battery with zinc and copper electrodes
I am a physicist, not a chemist. I'm trying to get a basic understanding of the reactions taking place in a battery using a saltwater electrolyte with copper and zinc terminals. I'm writing a general ...
- 151
5
votes
1
answer
6k
views
Current in a galvanic cell
I was looking through chemistry textbooks to find out how to determine how much current a galvanic cell should generate and what affects that current value. However, I did not find anything: textbooks ...
- 864
5
votes
1
answer
3k
views
In a galvanic cell where the two electrodes are in the same electrolyte solution, why do reduction and oxidation occur separately?
In a certain book, I was presented with the following solution:
An iron nail is attached by a piece of wire to a magnesium ribbon, and the iron and magnesium are placed into the same container, with ...
- 51
4
votes
2
answers
5k
views
Why Fe 3+ is more common than Fe 2+
I heard that $\ce{Fe}(\mathrm{III})$ is more common than $\ce{Fe}(\mathrm{II})$ but I've not heard a very clear explanation. Could someone please explain this incorporating electron configurations in ...
- 149
3
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Electrode potentials at interfaces?
My questions relates to the fundamental concept of electrochemistry, more specifically the electrode potentials.
1) First, why is there a potential difference at the interface of two phases? ...
- 6,795
3
votes
1
answer
356
views
Balancing redox equation
So I had these two reactions that confused me .. I tried the standard way of balancing it (Putting oxygen number everywhere, +1,+2,-2 etc.) and then go on with it but it didn't work
So anyways here ...
- 31
3
votes
1
answer
189
views
Are my intuitions about how batteries work right? [closed]
Being really fascinated by how electricity actually works, I started studying batteries.
I initilally understimated the complexity of this apparently-simple objects, and thorugh studies and researches ...
2
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Why can't electrons be transferred using hydrogen ions?
Recognizing how oxidation and reduction occurs is essential for analyzing and understanding biochemical reactions. Which of the following methods would NOT be employed in transferring electrons in ...
- 443