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The Standard Electrode Potential

The document discusses the standard electrode potential and how it is defined as the voltage produced by connecting a half cell to the standard hydrogen electrode under standard conditions of pressure, temperature, and concentration. It then explains the hydrogen fuel cell reaction and how electrons move between the hydrogen and oxygen sides. Methanol fuel cells are also discussed as methanol can store more energy as a liquid than hydrogen. Fuel cell breathalyzers are described as measuring ethanol in exhaled air by oxidizing it to produce a current proportional to the alcohol level. However, breathalyzers used by police require additional testing at the station for reliability in court.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
63 views

The Standard Electrode Potential

The document discusses the standard electrode potential and how it is defined as the voltage produced by connecting a half cell to the standard hydrogen electrode under standard conditions of pressure, temperature, and concentration. It then explains the hydrogen fuel cell reaction and how electrons move between the hydrogen and oxygen sides. Methanol fuel cells are also discussed as methanol can store more energy as a liquid than hydrogen. Fuel cell breathalyzers are described as measuring ethanol in exhaled air by oxidizing it to produce a current proportional to the alcohol level. However, breathalyzers used by police require additional testing at the station for reliability in court.

Uploaded by

api-26291674
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Standard Electrode Potential

Definition:
The voltage of cell produced by connecting the
half cell with a standard hydrogen electrode. All
conditions must be standard;
•One atmosphere pressure for all gases
•One molar concentration for all solutions
•Temperature of 298 K
The Standard Hydrogen
Electrode
Ecell ,Total Entropy Change and KC
∆Stotal = Rln Kc
R is the gas constant. So the bigger the total
entropy change the further “over to the right” will
lie the equilibrium position.
The more positive the Ecell value the bigger the Kc
value
The Hydrogen
Fuel Cell

2H2= 4H++ 4e
O2+ 4 e = 2O2-
Electrons move from the hydrogen side to the oxygen
side
The electrodes are made of platinum with an added
catalyst. The membrane allows hydrogen ions to pass
through but not molecules.
The Methanol
Fuel Cell

Because methanol is a
liquid you can get much
more energy into a tank of
fuel than if the fuel were
hydrogen.

However, carbon dioxide is produced.


Half equations are
Overall equation is
Breathalysers

These measure the amount of ethanol in expired


air.
Fuel Cell
Breathalysers

The exhaled air flows along one side of the cell.


A piece of platinum oxidises any ethanol to
ethanoic acid, hydrogen ions and electrons
Fuel Cell Breathalyser
The equation is
C2H5OH + ½ O2 = CH3COOH + 2H+ + 2e
The two protons move through the fuel cell to a
second piece of platinum which catalyses their
conversion to water.
The equation is
½ O2 + 2H+ + 2e = H2O
The overall equation is
C2H5OH + O2 = CH3COOH + H2O
Fuel Cell Breathalyser
So on one piece of platinum you have a chemical
reaction in which electrons are being PRODUCED
And another piece of platinum in which electrons
are being CONSUMED.
So you have a fuel cell
An electric current flows through a meter between
the two pieces of platinum.
The bigger the current the more alcohol there is.
Fuel Cell
Breathalyser
Electrons flow from
the electrode where
ethanol is being
oxidised to ethanoic
acid to
the other electrode
where oxygen is being
reduced to
water.
These breath machines give a “preliminary breath
test”. The instrument is not sufficiently reliable to
be used in court so the arrested driver has to be
taken to the police station for a more reliable test.
Breathalysers
Some police forces have
modified the apparatus so
that if the driver appears
to be a chav they can
arrange for the breath test
to be positive even if he
has not been drinking.

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